It’s not really that wonderful. I just felt like being alliterative.

I’m currently finishing up a seasonal warehouse gig at JC Penney in Haslet TX. I’ve seen a new method of picking that I never knew existed. It’s called ‘pick to lights’. Each picker is assigned to a zone, approximately 45 feet long with 3 levels of totes in a rack system. When you scan your tote, LEDs light up telling you the quantity you need to pick from each bin. You pick the required number of items, then extinguish the LED at that bin. When your hands are full, you put all the items in the tote you scanned. Typically, similar items are contained within a zone. I’m sure the system was designed by some efficiency expert to be as simple as possible, and it is. It’s also mind-numbingly boring. It’s very easy to let your mind wander just enough to pick the wrong number of items, or from the wrong bin, or put them in the wrong tote – because there are no built-in safeguards.

It’s also a lot more physical than I anticipated. Not as much walking as Amazon but just enough to feel it at the end of the night and a lot more tote slinging to make all the upper body muscles sore. Totes weigh about 11 lbs empty. They’re nested in threes and sometimes need a bit of persuasion to get out of the nest. Full totes aren’t usually a problem since you’re just sliding those around on the conveyor. Maybe I was sore since I’d just finished another warehouse job before coming here.

Oh well, I have a week to go and reached my goal – paying for the next 4 months in the RGV, plus a little sightseeing money between here and there.

Of the 3 warehouse jobs I’ve worked, I still consider Amazon the gold standard. For all the hit pieces you read about Amazon work online I enjoyed all 3 of my seasons there – mostly. There were a few bad shifts but it was mostly good. They treated me well and did everything they could to make sure I was successful. They also tried to make the best of the situation. Upbeat music over the speaker system on late shift, providing holiday meals and free snacks on breaks, contests during the shift.

DigiKey and JC Penney? Not so much. There are individuals at each location that make you feel like part of the team and help you to succeed but I never felt it was part of the company culture. JCP in particular has a very high turnover rate.

I may add a few more details after I’ve rested for a few weeks but this should suffice for now.