SEATTLE, Wa. — Amazon announced this week the launch of WorkingWell, a new program providing employees with physical and mental activities, wellness exercises and healthy eating support that are scientifically proven to help them recharge and reenergize, and ultimately reduce the risk of injury.
The components of WorkingWell were developed in collaboration with employees from within Amazon operations. Aspects of WorkingWell piloted in the U.S. in 2019, and the program has since expanded to 859,000 employees at 350 sites in North America and Europe. By the end of 2021, WorkingWell will expand further to cover all of Amazon’s operations network in the U.S. with the aim of cutting recordable incident rates by 50 percent by 2025.
Currently, Amazon employs over 18,000 full- and part-time employees in the state of Kentucky and operates 10 fulfillment and sortation centers, two delivery stations, one customer service center, and two Whole Foods Market locations in the Bluegrass state.
“We prioritize the health and safety of all our employees and are constantly looking for ways to further improve safety measures in our buildings,” said Jason Wheeler, general manager at the Hebron, Ky., fulfillment center. “The WorkingWell program is part of our investment of more than $300 million into safety projects in 2021, and Amazon’s mission to be Earth’s Safest Place to Work.”
The health and safety of employees is Amazon’s number one priority and has been since day one. The company works closely with health and safety experts and scientists, conducts thousands of safety inspections each day in its buildings, and has made hundreds of changes based on employee feedback to improve their well-being at work, including the development of the WorkingWell program.
Similar to other jobs of this kind, about 40% of work-related injuries at Amazon are musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) which include sprains or strains caused by repetitive motions, and they’re more likely to occur among newer employees, many of whom might be working in a physical role for the first time. Pilots of the WorkingWell program have reduced these injuries, and have had a positive impact on regular day-to-day activities for employees outside of work. The program—along with other company initiatives focused on early MSD prevention—helped decrease MSD-related injuries by 32% from 2019 to 2020.
WorkingWell is a comprehensive program with a number of components covering training and conditioning, wellness services, and technology, including the following:
Scientifically proven health and safety education and exercises
- Health & Safety Huddles:Â Daily opportunities to engage employees on strong body mechanics, wellness topics, and ongoing safety education.
- Wellness zones: Provides employees with voluntary stretching and muscle recovery via easily accessible, dedicated spaces within Amazon’s operations buildings.
- AmaZen: Guides employees through mindfulness practices in individual interactive kiosks at buildings.
Comprehensive and critical health and wellness services
- Wellness centers: Amazon-staffed spaces dedicated to preventing injuries and illness through preventative self-care, health and safety education, as well as first-aid treatment in case of injury.
- EatWell:Â Developed to support the overall nutritional health and wellbeing of employees by promoting healthy eating and increasing the availability of healthier options.
- Neighborhood health centers:Â Offers Amazon employees and their families affordable healthcare within 10 miles of where they work and live.
Using technology to connect with employees in buildings, and at home
- Mind & Body Moments:Â Hourly prompts employees to receive at their workstations
- Connect & Comment kiosks
- A WorkingWell mobile app will soon provide at-home access to all of the onsite safety, health and wellness offerings.
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