The welfare of slaughterhouse workers and the animals they process are deeply intertwined, with evidence that worker wellbeing affects animal welfare.
Slaughterhouse workers experience moral injury from killing animals daily at high volume. Research shows that workers who have positive attitudes toward animals produce better welfare outcomes. Conversely, desensitization from high-speed killing is associated with greater welfare violations. Improving worker conditions, slowing line speeds, and reducing production pressure benefits both workers and animals simultaneously.