covid19 -v- customers

MrGrumpy

I'm a shop assistant, my employer supplies me with any PPE i want, but i physically cannot work with any of it, the only thing i use is the sanitising gel provided - very frequently - my hands hurt as it is quite damaging to the skin...

I feel that shoppers do not care for staff, people come right next to me to ask questions, only when i step back do they wake up, though some people step forwards... very very few people understand the social distance thing (or choose to ignore it) I heard a psychologist once saying over the radio it should be called physical distancing - and i agree. Our spaces between isles is quite roomy, in fairness not 2 metres but if i walk along one side, shoppers could walk along the other side, but no, shopper is king and therefore a shopper must walk right through the middle, showing care and consideration is not why shoppers are there... In the 3 days i have been at work after my 2 months furlough (work asked me back before the 3 months were over) only one lady asked me if i could get a product down and into her trolley so we could keep distant, i almost cried ... As long as shoppers get what they want, staff does not matter (that is what it feels like). The vast majority of shoppers come to my shop (i do not own it) from a different planet - i am sure of it. And in groups when it should only be only one shopper per trip. A colleague who is more outspoken than me reminded a customer about social distance, and she was told she was stupid by that customer... what a wonderful world we live in.

If i get through this crisis without catching covid19 it is going to be a miracle.

As i'm in constant pain i decided that i will no longer put the fake smile on, behaving in a somewhat antisocial way is becoming my new normal, it is a shame because i used to be very gregarious, gradually over the years i lost friends because i am always grumpy, now i'm using my increased grumpiness to not make friends.

(I live on a small road where i can see about 12 homes, (this is not work related, but helps to understand shoppers) on the evenings to clap for the NHS only 4 households come to their front doors to clap, our home has me as an arthritic and one with breathing issues, another house has an elderly couple in their 80's, a third home has an NHS member of staff with sever health issues too, the fourth home i don't know very well. I'm not saying the other homes don't have health issues, but as i said above they telleported to their own planets.)

I wrote this not to offend people, i made an effort to stay politically correct, the hardest being not using fowl language, but I'm very sad to see how very little care there is in the world...

Al

Hi and welcome,

It's great to meet you, you have come to the right place for information and conversation with others like you living one or more forms of arthritis

There are many here more than happy to share their experience as you share yours.

This link is for general information regarding any type of arthritis

About arthritis

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis

Find out more about the different conditions, treatments and how to manage your symptoms.

if you have a specific question please post in the Living with Arthritis discussion or for general chat in the Chit Chat discussion. Just join in wherever you feel comfortable

Al

Mike1

I sympathise mate, my baby Sister works in a supermarket as well. She has stage 4 OA of her right knee which they will not replace until she is 65 so has another 6 years to wait wearing a full leg brace and in absolute agony. Since the start of all this ASDA shut down the bakery section where she usually worked and put her on the floor like you. In general the experiences she and her colleagues have had are like you, all staff have suffered verbal abuse and many customers are ignoring both the hygiene rules, social distancing and staff instructions. The majority of staff are either convinced that they will get the virus, although some are sure that they may already have had a mild dose and may be immune now. A lot of staff are, however, suffering with anxiety and whilst my sister suffers with depression she is actually trying to counsel them as no provision for this has been made by the employer. Keep up the good work, rest assured that most people are most grateful for the work that you and your colleagues are doing; you are on the front line and are appreciated.