Have you ever gone into a grocery store and wondered why everything is clean and stocked? Probably not. It’s not a question we often think about because we go into the store already expecting those things. The truth is that grocery stores aren’t just magically open and cleaned, they’re in that manner because service workers do those mindless tasks to ensure the happiness of customers as they walk through the doors. It’s only a hope that customers will treat us with the same respect and consideration that we give them. Which is why every customer should express more empathy and consideration towards service workers as they’re the backbone of almost every corporation.
About two years ago I was just a broke teenager who needed a job in order to pay for things such as car payments, spending habits, and other daily expenses. I eventually found myself applying for a part time job at the local grocery store thinking that it would be good to get experience in the workforce. In time I have learned many things but most importantly being that if you end up assisting customers, you will start to appreciate service workers a lot more than before.
Some people forget that workers aren’t robots and that they don’t have the ability to turn off all emotions before work. While a select few may understand how to act while in a communal setting, many don’t as they leave baskets on the floor or on a cashier’s belt, as they leave food they don’t desire to purchase without actually telling anybody that they don’t want to purchase said food, and as they leave carts in the parking lot without putting them away. You would think as adults people should know how to be well mannered with property that doesn’t belong to them, but unfortunately they don’t. And while workers have to clean up after you they also have to deal with your attitudes while doing it.
Many instances have made me consider finding a new career field, but sadly there aren’t many options for people my age. One day that I particularly remember was when somebody forgot their ID when they went to purchase cough syrup. Once I informed them that they could not legally purchase the cough syrup without a form of ID, they proceeded to throw the cough syrup while yelling at me exclaiming that the policy was ridiculous (A policy of which I did not create). Another issue was when a customer raised his voice at me because I accidentally bagged his canned cat food with his cereal. Customers should understand that we, as people, are bound to make mistakes and shouldn’t have to worry about being yelled at for them.
Trying to listen hasn’t helped me sympathize with customers but instead makes me even more irritated with how corporate culture has influenced humanity’s ability to empathize with other people. It’s events like this that make people not want to work in retail as it’s simply too much to deal with for not enough pay. Many states have an incredibly low minimum wage for large amounts of work. People wonder why employment rates are so low, but treat workers like this without realizing that they are the sole cause of the problem they complain about.
We all need to learn how to share a mutual respect between both the worker and the customer as it will surely boost the morale of the workers which will also lead to a possible rise in employment. As an employee, all I ask is that customers try to understand that we work hard and should be more appreciated. Next time you enter a grocery store just remember‒even though kindness may take some time, the benefits far outweigh the means.