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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Business
Ariel Bogle

‘Stop all time wasting’: Woolworths workers tracked and timed under new efficiency crackdown

An illustration of a warehouse worker in a green warehouse standing under a giant eye that has a clock as its pupil
Workers in Woolworths warehouses claim they are increasingly being pushed to comply with unrealistic and risky productivity standards. Illustration: Ben Sanders/The Guardian

Tim* has worked in a Woolworths warehouse for more than a decade. He’s helped load trucks and done other jobs, but mostly he “picks”.

When he arrives at work, he puts on a headset that tells him where to go, what items he needs to take from the shelves and pack and how long it should take him to do it. All the while, the company measures his productivity and pushes him to go faster.

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