Gelisim News

The University of Arizona in the USA conducted a study called "Frontline workers in Arizona are at risk: the impact of covid-19 on security, health and financial areas", in which it examined market employees. A total of 3,996 employees who are members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Association (UFCW) participated in the study, which was conducted through the survey.
 
CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CAUSE OF STRESS
 
While 55 percent of respondents said they thought they could be verbally threatened by an angry customer, the results revealed that customer behavior was a major source of stress. An employee said, “Customers enter my personal space and make excuses for me why they can't wear a mask. But I wear masks for eight hours every day to protect them."
 
“WE HAVE ANXIETY AND CONCERN”
 
Evaluating the results of the study, Psychiatrist Recep Emre Tan from Istanbul Gelisim University said that the mental health of the market employees deteriorated in this process and added: “The pandemic has turned into a social disease rather than individuality. We had some spiritual predicaments created by the anxiety, anxiety and uncertainty we all experience. Healthcare professionals are at the top of those who have mental distress. However, the supermarket staff, vales, couriers and factory workers who have to work during this period are also under mental burden.”
 
Tan also added: “In the study, it was observed that nearly 60 percent of the market employees were negatively affected by the coronavirus. Depression and anxiety disorder, which is the size of the disease, occurred in 20 percent. Everyone is closed to homes, but we go to the markets to buy basic needs. We do not see our relatives, but we do see market employees.”
 
“TRAINING IS REQUIRED”
 
Stating that the most important stress factor of market employees is customer behavior, Tan said, “Managers expect them to comply with customer satisfaction policy. Not knowing how to communicate with the customer and not managing the mental state well cause some conflicts between the employee and the customer. There are some problems with customers who do not follow the social distance rule and do not wear masks. Starting with the children, we need to tell everyone what the coronavirus is and how it is transmitted. We should also provide information on how to protect them, and provide the equipment. In this period, we should not put the customer satisfaction and sales pressure on the employees so much. People who have to work for economic reasons are the most affected by the pandemic.”
 
“MAKE EMPATHY”
 
Tan said: “We need to understand the emotions of the other, develop empathy, and follow the rules we are told. We have no right to hurt anyone, to reflect our anger. We may have mental distress, but we should not forget that the person we face is also an employee.”
 
“EMPLOYEES FEAR OF DEATH”
 
Stating that anxiety is born from uncertainties, Tan said: “It is necessary to know how the disease is transmitted. Life safety danger of people, can lose their lives. Supermarket workers fear illness and death at first. Flexible work, correct protection is very important. If the managers adopt a "if you don't like it" approach, if people have to work in bad conditions, it is very difficult to protect their mental health. To survive or to be unemployed? An employee who is caught in such a dilemma eventually suffers mental distress. Personal rights of market employees should be protected or even increased. Training on how to communicate with customers in times of crisis.”
 
KAYA: I RENT A HOUSE AND I HAVE TO WORK
Stating that he is protecting himself as much as he can, Erdal Kaya, a store employee, said, “I have a child at home, it is difficult but there is nothing to do, I have to work. I'm worried that I will infect my child. My house is rented, it is difficult to make ends meet. My only concern is to pay my rent, even if the illness comes, we have to work.”
 
YILMAZ: WE ARE VERY TENSIONAL AND NERVOUS
 
Stating that they see everyone who comes to the market as a potential patient, Ali İhsan Yılmaz said: “We take precautions according to him. We wear the mask around 7:30 in the morning, we never take it off until 23:00 in the evening. Of course we change it from time to time, but we cannot get oxygen. I haven't taken off my mask for 1 year. This started a breathing problem for me. We are very nervous and irritable. We are now fighting with customers in situations where we would normally not react at all. We had a severe trauma, all employees were like that. We were attacked at the beginning of the pandemic, we heard swearing, we were insulted. Not now, when we warn customers do what they need. From time to time, their noses are open, they lower them to their chin, we warn. We wait at the entrance of the market and don't let it in.”
 
SÜTCÜ: WE ARE CONSTANTLY IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE AND MONEY
 
Şebnem Sütcü stated that her psychology was negatively affected by the pandemic and said: “Because we are not at home under any restrictions, we spend intensely on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. We want people to be a little more sensitive. A friend of ours went to the test last week, we were all very scared because if one happens, we all pass. Many people come to the market without a mask, they are not careful. We are constantly in touch with people and money. Everyone comes to the market during the weekend restrictions. I do not eat or sit at the same table with my family. I usually spend time in my own room. If I infect my mother with heart disease, it could end up badly. It doesn't run without working.”