Here Is Why Retail Is One Of The Worst Environments To Work In
Have you ever wondered why so many retail workers complain about their jobs, whether they be online, in person, or even in articles? This phenomenon is because of the constant harassment and utter rudeness retail workers have to endure day after day.
All I saw in the next moment was a lawn chair flying at my head. This was an actual thought I had while I was working at a guest service register at Target. And you might ask yourself, “Oh, you must have quit after that!” No, I did not because I need the money. This occurrence is why many retail workers feel unsafe in their own work environments; it is due to the fact of poor management that has trouble with handling things, rude customers that treat employees like lower beings, and a stressful store setting that amplifies feelings of hostility.
Retail is a key industry in today's consumerist market, but it has become hell for its workers. “WI (Workplace incivility) continues in retail for numerous reasons, such as ignoring the problem, no accountability, pressure, lack of kindness, a non-re-cap policy, fear of losing their job, and the customer is always right.” These factors stem from the presence of ineffective individuals in management positions.
There is the truth that managers have to go through extensive training, which Target even says themself: “We provide a wide range of resources, such as business-area-specific training and workshop opportunities, for our team members to support their unique career goals.” But even this is not enough to have leaks in a system.
Many workers struggle with management because their bosses aren't concerned about their employees' welfare and only care about making numbers. The reasons for this include factors such as micromanaging. They criticize staff in front of others, which leads to many different issues, such as distrust among staff and lowered morale. Another factor is that some managers are pushovers. This results in a weak team because some employees do not fit well with the store's culture and can become toxic influences.
My experience with a bad manager has amplified how unsafe I feel in the environment as well. When I had to deal with an aggressive customer, I asked my manager for assistance, but she entirely ignored me and dismissed my cry for help. This then led to an aggressive outburst from the customer and a chair being thrown at my head, which made the experience even more delightful.
Another factor contributing to the harmful environment in retail stores is the malicious behavior of certain customers who aim to make a worker's experience unbearable. “Incivility occurs in different forms in the workplace, including customer incivility.” In many instances employees in retail feel unsafe because of customers who make the environment hostile. The condition can be due to violent outbursts from guests and just overall rudeness that makes the employee feel unsafe.
While there are trainings to deal with guests that act like that and security personnel to keep other guests and employees safe, they have slow reaction times or are not on shift. And when it comes to training, you get a simple paragraph to read, for example. “When customers express their emotions, aim to stay calm and manage your own emotions.”
So when dealing with a violent customer, it is very challenging to properly handle the situation due to many factors and the unpredictability of a human being. Humans have developed this unpredictability factor as a sort of safety net in order to not be taken advantage of. “So, the next time that someone does something unpredictable, remember that they are wired to do it.”
My own experience with dealing with guests like this always ends in a funny story, at least. For example, I once had a guest come up to the guest service counter acting completely normal and asking about a ball. The ball had a clearance sticker on it, and she was curious about it. This then led into her going into a violent outburst and being escorted out of the store. Humans are far from predictable.
So because of this, many employees feel unsafe when it comes to working in retail. The rudeness and violence of customers, who treat retail workers like lesser beings, contribute to this feeling of unease.
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Another reason many retail workers feel unsafe in their workplace is due to the setting it is in. One can attribute this to either a poor neighborhood or the nature of the store itself. See there is actually a phenomenon for when you feel tired, stressed, and angry in a retail store. This event is called the "Supermarket Syndrome." This leads to dizziness and unsteadiness. “The maze of tall shelves, the bright lights, the patterns on the floor, the overwhelming selection of items, bending down or turning your head to scan for the items you need can take a lot of energy to navigate.”
Because of the "Supermarket Syndrome," many employees who are on the floor for hours and hours at a time begin to feel these symptoms. This can lead to stress buildup and just an overall bad time on the floor.
Last but not least, shopping may seem like an effortless and necessary part of daily life, but for the people who work behind the counter, it can be a dangerous, rude, and stressful place to be. When management isn't helpful, workers don't have any help, rude customers can make situations unpredictable and even violent, and the crowded store environment makes emotional and physical stress worse.
All of these things make the workplace dangerous for many people, who are just doing their jobs. Retail will continue to be one of the worst places to work until companies take these problems seriously by implementing stronger management, better training, and true care for their employees' well-being.
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