A list of requests from a Coles employee
I work at Coles in the Dry Goods (grocery) section. I'm dealing with a shop that's on target to do $2 million in sales this week (double our usual), that's if we can get the stock in to support that many sales. We're getting an estimated >2000 customers through the shop per day, if this trend continues, that could have us around 15000 customers in this next week.
As we're all aware, Grocery stores are going to be a hotspot for transmission of this Virus. I know that, my fellow team members know that, luckily most of us are young, or at least not in the most at-risk age bracket for COVID-19. In saying that, i'v only just graduated Uni and am still living at home with my two parents who are both around the age of 60. I'm absolutely terrified of giving it to them, they're both healthy, but I don't know if I could live with myself if my actions caused them to be hurt or worse.
In saying that, here are a few things that I humbly request everyone abide by when coming into Coles, or anywhere for that matter, so as to reduce mine, and any other persons risk of getting the virus:
If you feel even remotely sick, or are feeling any of the symptoms of the virus, please don't come in. We need to be risk averse, you may have it but aren't sick enough to think you do, or to think you can transmit it. The same stock is being repacked every day, wait another day or ask a family member or friend to help you shop.
Please don't touch, pick up, or move around stock that you aren't going to take with you and purchase. Your hands are the risky part of what can be transmitted at a grocery store. One of the big risks is that many people will pick up an item, look at it, read the label, then put it back. If you're unsure about a product, look it up first or just leave it.
Trolley bays should have anti-bacterial wipes, use them on the handles of your trolley. If you don't have to please don't use one, and if you do get it back to a return area as soon as possible
Try to use your trolley to gauge a good 1.5m away from other customers and employees. I know this isn't always possible, but if you can, this is good practice. If you need to stop to think about where you're going next just try and stay in a light-traffic area in the shop.
Don't have conversations with friends in the shop. This slows down your shop, other customers shops (your friends and those needing to slow down to get around you), and makes it harder for employees to move through the store
Don't use the self-checkout if you don't have to. The checkout staff will have hand sanitiser and will clean their touch screens, the self checkouts move to fast for workers to clean every touch screen and you can't bet on the average person to have washed hands. Just wait in line, use the trolley to keep a good distance
Please don't talk to workers if you don't have to. They are extremely busy and probably very stressed, if not worried about working at the moment. No, we don't anything out the back, everything that's in is being worked to the shelf asap. We've heard every joke, every comment, every suggestion on how to deal with everything better. If you genuinely can't find something then of course ask where it is, but any unnecessary queries are just that, unnecessary.
Please don't touch workers, i'v had so many customers come and grab my shoulder or arm when they talk to me, or pat me on the back. I'll admit it's mainly older customers, so this might not reach that demographic, but it's still an issue. That isn't okay in the current climate.
Plan your shops, know what you need. Go in, get your stuff, get out. Don't loiter, you don't want to be in there any longer than you need. Again, the stock will be there tomorrow, or if not then, then the day after.
Call people out if you see them behaving poorly. There can't be workers everywhere, and some people are just too busy to go and tell that person to not cough onto his trolley full of items, it can also be very stressful for our younger staff to try and do something like that. Things like coughing, standing in the middle of aisles talking, picking things up and putting them back, are absolutely unacceptable at the moment, and if you can help us smooth out all of this, we'd be eternally grateful.
If you have any general questions feel free to ask, i'd rather you do it here rather than stand talking to any employee in store.