All UK fulfilment centres move from five-day to four-day shift pattern providing employees with three days away from work each week

The move will also save employees both travel time and travel cost on a weekly basis

Slough – 15th October 2013 – Amazon has today announced that 800 temporary associates will move into permanent roles at its UK fulfilment centres before the end of the year.

The announcement comes as Amazon moves from five-day eight hour shifts to four-day ten hour shifts within its fulfilment centre network in the UK. The change will mean that employees benefit from three days off every week. One fewer visit to work is also likely to save employees both time and money on a weekly basis and could reduce the impact on the environment as a result of less commuting for thousands of employees.

“Every one of our employees will be working over the Christmas period to delight customers by delivering millions of items on a daily basis and we are pleased to be creating 800 new permanent roles in our centres ahead of the Christmas period,” said Catherine McDermott, UK Operations Director at Amazon. “Having recently reviewed and improved pay rates and overall compensation package, we are now moving to a four-day week which will provide employees with more days of free time and the potential for savings in terms of time and money.”

Amazon employees receive a basic pay rate – which increases on a six month basis for the first two years of employment – as well as a range of benefits including private medical insurance, a company pension plan, life assurance and income protection as well as stock units which over the last five years have added around 12% to total take home pay.

Chloe Hyatt-Golding joined Amazon as a temporary associate at the Swansea Bay fulfilment centre in 2010 before becoming a permanent member of the team in 2011. Chloe said: “I used to rotate shifts, this fixed pattern is a lot easier for me – and my social life. The extra day off per week has definitely made it easier for me to juggle my commitments and still get time to see my friends.”

Amazon has over 4,500 permanent employees in its UK fulfilment centres and recently announced that it would hire more than 15,000 people on a temporary basis for the Christmas period.

Amazon has eight fulfilment centres across the UK in Doncaster, Dunfermline, Gourock, Hemel Hempstead, Milton Keynes, Peterborough, Rugeley and Swansea Bay. Amazon has opened five new UK fulfilment centres in the last five years, creating more than 2,500 permanent jobs.

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