Part 3/7:
When Amazon purchased Whole Foods for a staggering $13.7 billion, employees noticed a significant shift towards a warehouse mentality. The focus has increasingly become centered around speed and efficiency, with one worker stating that their department functions with “intense” surveillance and pressure to meet strict deadlines.
The implementation of stringent metrics—such as the “units per hour” or UPH—has seen targets raised from a reasonable 65 units to an almost unachievable 100 units per hour. This relentless push for speed has serious physical and mental health implications, with employees reporting injuries from rushing to meet demands while working under excessive stress.