The video games are optional for the thousands of “pickers” and “stowers” across a handful of the company’s warehouses. Gamification generally refers to software programs that simulate video games by offering rewards, badges or bragging rights among colleagues. But the rush to gamify comes with risks, said Jane McGonigal, a video game designer who has studied workplace gamification. Amazon has come under increasing criticism in recent years for its treatment of warehouse workers, with media reports surfacing of punishing productivity goals and insufficient bathroom breaks. However, warehouse workers are tracked carefully for speed, efficiency and other factors, and those who underperform can be fired or reassigned.

Source: Washington Post May 21, 2019 13:00 UTC