Ahead of its big sales event, Amazon reportedly called on its office workers to assist in warehouse tasks. According to The Guardian, a Slack message was sent to thousands of white-collar employees in New York City. These included engineers and marketing staff. The message came from an area manager, who urged them to “help us out with Prime Day to deliver to customers on our biggest days yet.”

Although the request was widely shared, it remains unclear how many employees actually signed up to volunteer.

What Were Volunteers Expected to Do?

The message outlined the duties for those willing to step in. Volunteers would work at the Amazon Fresh warehouse in Brooklyn from Tuesday through Friday. Each shift would last two hours, with slots available between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Their main tasks included picking up grocery items, packing bags, and placing boxes onto delivery carts. The company made it clear that employees could still take work calls and attend meetings during these shifts, offering some flexibility.

The internal message also stated that this initiative would allow corporate and warehouse teams to “connect.”

Not the First Time Amazon Has Done This

Amazon spokesperson Griffin Buch confirmed that the company had made similar requests in the past.

“This support is entirely optional, and it allows corporate employees to get closer to customers while enabling our store teams to focus on the work that’s most impactful,” Buch explained.

Why Amazon Needs Extra Hands

During Prime Day, Amazon usually experiences a surge in orders due to large discounts across thousands of products. To keep up with this demand, the company often hires temporary warehouse staff. This year, however, it also reached out to its corporate workforce for additional support.

This push comes as part of preparations for Amazon Fresh—a grocery delivery service for Prime members—which is also running special Prime Day deals.

By involving their own employees in the logistics process, Amazon aims to keep operations running smoothly during one of its busiest shopping weeks of the year.