I took a rare look inside one of Amazon's giant warehouses right before the company hiked workers' wages - here's what I saw

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I took a rare look inside one of Amazon's giant warehouses right before the company hiked workers' wages - here's what I saw

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Amazon fulfillment center Seattle

Avery Hartmans/Business Insider

  • I recently visited an Amazon warehouse in Kent, Washington, which is about 20 miles south of Seattle. 
  • The fulfillment center is just under 1 million square feet, contains 18 miles of conveyor belts, and lots of robots. 
  • Amazon has come under fire recently for the treatment of its warehouse workers, with some workers saying describing job metrics that are "brutally aggressive."
  • However, the employees that I saw during my tour appeared to be working steadily and methodically, but no one appeared to be rushing around the facility to complete their tasks. I didn't see anyone stopping to take a break, but I didn't notice anyone look visibly upset or stressed, either.

About 20 miles south of downtown Seattle sits one of Amazon's many fulfillment centers. 

The facility is looming and beige, and it feels removed from the shiny, glamorous headquarters that Amazon is still building in the center of the city to house its corporate employees. Large, open fields stretch in one direction, and suburban houses are in the other direction. In the distance, you can catch a glimpse of Mount Rainier. 

The setting is almost picturesque, until you remember that before you sits an Amazon fulfillment center that spans nearly one million square feet. Inside, Amazon workers spend 10 hours per day, four days per week ensuring your order gets to you on time. 

It's the core of Amazon's business, and also one of the most controversial: current and former employees have told horror stories of a workplace that's so fast-paced and strenuous, workers don't even have time to use the bathroom. The fulfillment centers recently became a target for Senator Bernie Sanders, who called on Amazon to pay its workers more, and even sponsored a bill with the acronym BEZOS, after Amazon's CEO. 

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In response to mounting criticism, Amazon announced last week that it would be raising its minimum wage to $15, a change will affect more than 250,000 full- and part-time employees, plus more than 100,000 seasonal staff members who work for Amazon over the holiday season.

I visited the Kent fulfillment center one day after Amazon's biggest hardware event of the year, as part of an Amazon-sponsored tour. Amazon had shuttled out journalists from across the globe to visit the facility, where we caught a sanitized glimpse into the world of Amazon. 

Ahead of my visit, I was given several rules: no loose-fitting clothes, no recordings, no straying from the tour, and absolutely no speaking to fulfillment center employees. A legion of Amazon corporate employees attended the tour, for seemingly no other reason than to keep members of the media in line. 

Still, there was plenty to see and hear during my visit. Here's what it was like. 

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One of the first things you see when you enter the Kent fulfillment center is these robots hanging from the ceiling — they're the robots that move inventory around the facility. This particular set, now in retirement, was signed by day-one employees of the facility.

One of the first things you see when you enter the Kent fulfillment center is these robots hanging from the ceiling — they're the robots that move inventory around the facility. This particular set, now in retirement, was signed by day-one employees of the facility.

The facility is vast — just under 1 million square feet — and contains 18 miles of conveyor belts.

The facility is vast — just under 1 million square feet — and contains 18 miles of conveyor belts.
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The Kent fulfillment center runs 22 hours per day, 363 days per year.

The Kent fulfillment center runs 22 hours per day, 363 days per year.

In one part of the facility, robots like the ones hanging in the entryway are responsible for moving inventory to and fro.

In one part of the facility, robots like the ones hanging in the entryway are responsible for moving inventory to and fro.
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The robots rely on QR codes on the floor to map the room.

The robots rely on QR codes on the floor to map the room.

The fulfillment center relies heavily on these yellow bins, which I saw everywhere throughout my tour. Each bin has its own bar code, and items that arrive at the fulfillment center are sorted into these bins using a process Amazon calls "random stow."

The fulfillment center relies heavily on these yellow bins, which I saw everywhere throughout my tour. Each bin has its own bar code, and items that arrive at the fulfillment center are sorted into these bins using a process Amazon calls "random stow."

The items placed in the bins are not sorted according to product type or vendor — instead, random stow is used to group items, well, randomly.

Amazon says that using this randomized system has helped speed up the process. Large fulfillment centers have multiple "picking stations" throughout the facility, and grouping all similar or identical items would be too time-consuming.

Amazon doesn't say how many items are processed at its fulfillment centers every day, since it varies seasonally.

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The items that pass through this particular fulfillment center are no larger than a toaster oven. When I peeked inside a few bins, I saw everything from diapers to soccer equipment to a 24-pack of kombucha.

The items that pass through this particular fulfillment center are no larger than a toaster oven. When I peeked inside a few bins, I saw everything from diapers to soccer equipment to a 24-pack of kombucha.

After items are entered into the system and stowed in bins, they're sent along the conveyor belt to be boxed up.

After items are entered into the system and stowed in bins, they're sent along the conveyor belt to be boxed up.
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Employees will take a bin off the belt, scan it, and unpack it. Then, the system will tell them what type of box they need. An employee will assemble the correct box, fill it, and send it on its way.

Employees will take a bin off the belt, scan it, and unpack it. Then, the system will tell them what type of box they need. An employee will assemble the correct box, fill it, and send it on its way.

The ubiquitous Amazon box is everywhere you turn, in every size imaginable, throughout the fulfillment center.

The ubiquitous Amazon box is everywhere you turn, in every size imaginable, throughout the fulfillment center.
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Here's a closer look at one of the boxing stations.

Here's a closer look at one of the boxing stations.

After a box is sealed and placed back on the belt, it's automatically weighed. Amazon's system then creates a label, which is pressed on by air.

After a box is sealed and placed back on the belt, it's automatically weighed. Amazon's system then creates a label, which is pressed on by air.
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This system is called SLAM, which stands for "scan, label, apply, manifest." Amazon created the process about 20 years ago, during the early years of the company.

This system is called SLAM, which stands for "scan, label, apply, manifest." Amazon created the process about 20 years ago, during the early years of the company.

But others whip along almost alarmingly fast:

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The Kent facility employs about 3,000 employees. Employees work 10-hour shifts four days per week, and take breaks throughout the day: once in the morning, once for lunch, and once again the afternoon.

The Kent facility employs about 3,000 employees. Employees work 10-hour shifts four days per week, and take breaks throughout the day: once in the morning, once for lunch, and once again the afternoon.

During my visit, we were asked not to speak with any employees we saw, since it was the middle of their work day. One reporter who hailed down an employee was quickly asked to keep moving.

Throughout the facility, I noticed vending machines with drinks and snacks inside. I also saw a large break room with long tables and chairs, not unlike a high school cafeteria. When I peeked in the window, it was empty.

Employees that I saw during my tour appeared to be working steadily and methodically, but no one appeared to be rushing around the facility to complete their tasks. I didn't see anyone stopping to take a break, but I didn't notice anyone look visibly upset or stressed, either.

Employees that I saw during my tour appeared to be working steadily and methodically, but no one appeared to be rushing around the facility to complete their tasks. I didn't see anyone stopping to take a break, but I didn't notice anyone look visibly upset or stressed, either.

Reports from warehouse workers in other cities around the world paint a different picture, however.

Former employees said they would sometimes find human waste in trash cans because workers felt they could not take the time to go to the bathroom. Employees said that Amazon's focus on efficiency made them feel like "robots" that were only expected to do one thing, and to do it quickly.

Employees have also described job metrics that are "brutally aggressive," with workers being in a "constant state of anxiety" that they could be fired at any moment.

With the recent increase in employee pay, Amazon says fulfillment center employees will still have metrics to meet, but they will no longer be tied to pay. The end result should be higher and more predictable pay for workers, Amazon says.

When asked during my tour — which occurred before the pay raise — the Amazon employee leading the tour echoed that sentiment, saying that employee performance is measured as any other job would, and that it's more about quality than quantity.

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For its part, Amazon seems to be getting more sensitive to criticisms of its fulfillment centers, and is making changes to how workers are treated.

For its part, Amazon seems to be getting more sensitive to criticisms of its fulfillment centers, and is making changes to how workers are treated.
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