The number of staff at an Amazon warehouse near Reading has almost doubled for Christmas as shoppers stock up on presents for their loved-ones.
Tens of thousands of items are sent out for delivery from Amazon DRG2, in Theale, each day, with the giant warehouse refilling three times in an average 24 hours.
It is one of only five indoor warehouses among the 80 Amazon depots in England, meaning fleets of vans emerge in waves from its doors to deliver Christmas gifts – while festive songs play through the tannoy.
Operations Manager Andy Wyles, from Wokingham, said Christmas Eve can become quite intense as employees make the final push, sometimes leaving at 10pm.
“We’ll do anything we can to get the parcels out for the customer because it is someone’s Christmas present. You can imagine if someone doesn’t receive what they need on Christmas Day.
“Sometimes we’ve had managers get in their car and deliver parcels themselves to support the driver network.”
For some drivers, like Steve Belbin, 39, that means making their way through all weathers – including digging his van out of snow during one white Christmas.
Now area manager, Steve said keeping warehouse workers and Amazon-associated drivers engaged is how they manage to get through the festive peak.
“It’s really fun. Everyone is engaging and there’s a team spirit.
“We all get together, we have a laugh, we do some games, there’s a real sense of community in the depot.
“We know everyone’s faces, we get one and we work together. I know it’s a cliché but teamwork makes the dreamwork.”
Employees pack deliveries into vans using high-tech scanners strapped to their fingers, which help them navigate the rows and rows of parcels by telling them where to put each item.
These are then loaded onto dozens of vans, who are waved out of the warehouse like aircraft being marshalled on a runway
Asked what steps Amazon take to make sure their staff aren’t overworked during the busy Christmas period, Delivery Station Manager Allen Phillips said:
“We make sure we have all the facilities and tools available to them to know the best processes to take within the work environment, that then ensures they are working to the best of their ability in a safe process.”
He continued: “This obviously improves their efficiency but it also minimizes the risk of being overwhelmed because they have all of the necessary resources when they start to ensure that they can be as effective in their role as possible.”
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