Amazon has added work-related challenges around its warehouse in the form of games for employees.
The gamification of tasks like stacking boxes and filing orders is designed to speed up workers and, we imagine, make the process a bit more enjoyable.
According to a report in the Washington Post (owned by Amazon boss Jeff Bezos) the games ‘are displayed on small screens at employees’ workstations.’
The Post explains: ‘As robots wheel giant shelves up to each workstation, lights or screens indicate which item the worker needs to pluck to put into a bin.
‘The games simultaneously register the completion of the task, which is tracked by scanning devices, and can pit individuals, teams or entire floors against one another to be fastest, simply by picking or stowing real Lego sets, cellphone cases or dish soap. Game-playing employees are rewarded with points, virtual badges and other goodies throughout a shift.’
‘Think Tetris, but with real boxes.’
Having a score system and positive reinforcement has long been known to keep humans hooked (why do you think Candy Crush is still so popular?) but using it to make workers more efficient seems a bit Black Mirror-esque to some.
According to the report, Amazon has installed the games in five of its warehouses, including one near the firm’s HQ in Seattle and one in the UK near Manchester.
The games themselves haven’t been pictured, but the Post says they have names like ‘MissionRacer’, ‘PicksInSpace’, ‘Dragon Duel’, and ‘CastleCrafte’.
‘One worker said she had at times picked nearly 500 items off the roving shelves in one hour, egged on by the game pitting her against other pickers to compel a racecar around a track,’ the paper reports.
Amazon has had plenty of backlash over its working conditions in recent years, especially around events like Christmas. But, at the same time, the company is continuously growing. More and more people turn to Amazon because of the ease and convenience. If you’re a Prime member, you can often get something delivered on the very day you order it – a testament to the logistical muscle of the American company.
Last year, the company’s net sales increased 31% year-on-year to the tune of $232.9 billion.
The question is, will this ‘gamification’ of its warehouses cause that massive number to increase even further in 2019 and 2020?
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