Labor Day reflections

Now, I work part time at the bakery’s brick-and-mortar storefront. I no longer face the heavy rains that invaded the tent in horizontal thrashes, virtually destroying country loaves and kouign amanns; instead, I take on a more severe storm of staffing shortages and a drizzle of unpleasant customer interactions. While these issues are not exclusive to pandemic times, they have only been exacerbated over the past 18 months.

In one of my first shifts back on the schedule after a yearlong hiatus, I was told by a customer that it was taking too long to receive their order. With a line that stretched multiple storefronts down the street and a ceaseless stream of tickets piling up before me, I was juggling about 10 orders, 10 items long at a given moment. On a normal weekend, I would have had at least two other employees on “line” helping me. Because of staffing shortages, I was one of three people on the clock and the only one bagging pastries and bread.

The slogan “the customer is always right” has long ruled supreme, but in these trying, pandemic-tested times, there needs to be greater sympathy for those working in the service industry.

For most of my life, “don’t wear white after Labor Day” was all that came to mind when the national holiday came up in conversation. Labor Day receives nowhere near the commercial attention of Valentine’s Day or Thanksgiving, but especially this year, it is just as, if not more, deserving of celebration. Beyond serving as a fashion indicator and providing a day off of school, the holiday puts the American work ethic in its proper limelight.

A spontaneous tip, returning the favor of asking a cashier how their day is going or even the simple act of thanking an employee upon receiving goods would show appreciation on the upcoming holiday.

COVID-19 has been a whirlwind experience for business owners and employees alike. Financial strains have forced approximately 200,000 more businesses to shut their doors than in a normal year, both temporarily and permanently. For businesses that have managed to stay afloat, employee fatigue and burnout have proven a silent plague.

While California is now at a 7.6% unemployment rate, notably lower than that of the previous year, jobs in the service industry are still far from sought after. Low hourly wages, long hours and the physical toll of being on your feet can make customer service far from a desirable profession. On my way to work, I often glance at other storefront windows that sport large “Help Wanted” signs in their front windows. There are jobs available, but dwindling interest in filling them.

In the coming weeks, I will be back where I started: the farmers’ market. Though there is no predicted precipitation, the carbohydrate parade is bound to be rained on in some way — whether it be fatigue or another sour interaction with a customer.

On Labor Day this year, and in the future, it is incredibly important to support local businesses through both purchases and kindness.

Lexi Goldstein is a senior at Burlingame High School. Student News appears in the weekend edition. You can email Student News at news@smdailyjournal.com.