‘The job is not human’: UK retail warehouse staff describe hard work | Retail sector

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This week’s strike at an Amazon warehouse in Coventry puts a spotlight on a hidden army of workers in the UK’s retail sector, many of whom face “particularly stressful” conditions, according to recent research by TUC.

Five academics at the Center for Employment and Work Research (Staff) at the University of Greenwich analyzed data on the retail workforce during and after the Covid pandemic, and conducted in-depth interviews with 30 workers.

They found that the pandemic had “intensified existing trends” in online shopping, meaning a renewed shift from traditional jobs in stores to work in warehouses, away from direct contact with customers.

The analysis suggests that these warehouse roles often offer more regular hours, and that competition for staff has led to higher rates of pay – but some interviewees said they found the jobs too demanding.

“Research participants considered warehouse work to be particularly stressful (“the job is not human”), the authors say in a summary of their findings, adding that there is “a suggestion that automation and robotics may be necessary to save cost to human physical and mental health.”

TUC Deputy Secretary-General Kate Bell said it was easy for consumers to forget that what looked like a “miracle” express home delivery relied on “real human labour, and real human labour, which is getting harder – monitored, repetitive, arduous”.

One employee at the distribution center said, “It’s a physically demanding job, and if you’ve never been in this situation, it either makes or breaks you to be honest.” He said staff should be “fit enough to cross the pain barriers”.

Notable companies including Sports Direct have come under fire for the conditions workers face in their warehouses. Fashion retailer Boohoo recently rejected claims made by The Times that employees can walk 13 miles in a single shift, in sweltering temperatures.

The report commissioned by TUC provides new first-hand testimony from retail employees. One Amazon worker who worked night shifts told the researchers, “It’s mentally exhausting just because you’re working, working, working constantly. Literally, you don’t have a social life.” One warehouse worker described the rapid turnover of staff at their workplaces as a “leaky bucket”.

One operations manager who has worked for three different companies over a number of years said the increasing automation of warehouses has added pressure on workers.

“I wouldn’t advise a friend of mine to be…a warehouse worker for a long period of time. From a health standpoint, it’s not recommended, and from a psychological point of view it’s not recommended, because at some point warehouses are going to be expected.” [the] “Robots are more efficient than humans, so to speak,” she told the researchers.

Warehouse employees across different companies described closely tracking their performance, including the routes they take around the distribution center. “They already specified how long it would take. If it took five or 10 minutes longer, you might be questioned, ‘Why did it take so long?’” one of the workers said.

“Employers seem to be relying more and more on automated performance management tools in warehouses to set standards – and that doesn’t take into account the massive problems workers face on day in, day out,” said Adrian Jones, Unite National Organiser. A recent TUC guide on these issues for union representatives is called “When AI is the Boss”.

The researchers suggest that employee monitoring is used differently in workplaces where unions have seats around the table. “When labor unions are recognized, workplace representatives play a key role in mediating technology and restricting its use in disciplinary actions against workers,” the report says.

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Some of the people interviewed said they don’t mind being monitored more intensely – through CCTV or a smartwatch, for example – as they see it as about safety as well as performance.

“When we see employers who recognize the fact that these are people and not robots doing this, the performance is better, the commitment is better from the workers, and ultimately the company is more profitable,” said Jones.

But he noted the difficulties of working in warehouses, including the enormous weight of goods that had to be moved, and the prevalence of night shifts.

The TUC calls for collective bargaining across the retail sector, including distribution, for standard-setting “fair wage agreements,” and the right to consult employees before new technologies are introduced.

When challenging staff discontent, Amazon, which refuses to acknowledge unionization, cited a recent increase in starting wages, to “a minimum of between £10.50 and £11.45 an hour”, and what it called a “comprehensive benefits package” worth thousands of pounds. But the TUC bell, welcoming the strike this week, said: “What these people need first is a voice in their workplace.”

Retailers say they should provide employees with appropriate incentives to work in these jobs. Tom Ironside, director of business and regulation at the British Retail Confederation, said: “The need for warehouse staff has increased in recent years, so retailers have worked hard to provide the financial and non-financial reward needed to attract talent. As with all parts of retail, good working conditions are a means. key to attracting and retaining employees, and warehouses are no exception.”

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