Wellness gets 'prime' attention inside local Amazon facility

With her own passion for running marathons, Aja Carter always knew she wanted to help others reach "prime" physical condition.

"I grew up playing sports and knew that I wanted to stay within the sports community.  So, I became an athletic trainer," says the New York native. "I worked at all kinds of sports; all levels, whether it's high school, college, all of that."

Today, Carter is an injury prevention specialist at Georgia’s first Amazon Robotics Fulfillment Center in Stone Mountain; the 640,000-square-foot facility opened in October 2020. And as Carter tells all new hires, everyone is an athlete within the walls of the center.

"The body doesn't understand if it's picking up a tote full of products or a barbell at the gym.  It just knows that it's working," says Carter.

Earlier this month, Amazon announced the launch of WorkingWell, a comprehensive wellness program aimed at keeping employees safe and healthy. Among the program’s many components is the WorkingWell Huddle, in which team members gather to learn basic safety tips, such as proper bending and lifting techniques.

"A WorkingWell Huddle is an opportunity that we take out of the day at Amazon to make sure that associates understand how to work effectively," says area manager Jason Coleman.

Other WorkingWell elements include on-site Wellness Centers and the availability of healthier snack options; employees are also prompted to physically warm up when logging on at their workstations.

Most of the more than 3,000 full-time team members at the facility work 10-hour shifts, and Carter says it’s imperative they give their own bodies the same kind of attention they give the high-tech machinery surrounding them.

"My father was an electrician.  And my whole life, he would come home with aches and pains," Carter says. "He never had someone in the field to work with him, to teach him these things to prevent injury."

Now, Carter says she can be that person for her Amazon teammates, finding her own special kind of fulfillment with the online shopping giant.

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