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"I've been working for Tesco for 20 years now and they've been a great company to work for. If people care about you, you care about them. When the pandemic happened they wanted to be there for the community, and they really looked after me and my team too. Yes, I did feel vulnerable being on the front line, but they reacted fast and spent lots of money to ensure we had plenty of hand sanitisers, we had very good masks, and we had all the information we needed. They also gave us all access to Headspace for our mental wellbeing. That took 50% of the feeling of vulnerability away and gave me the confidence to stay on the front line and help others. I basically kept working to make sure that the shop stayed open, it was filled for the customers, they could get access to the basic necessities, and that some people didn't take too much and leave others staring into empty cupboards at home.
I love being in the retail industry because it gives me contact with people. I know I'm only selling them tins of baked beans, but you're giving people a hand, particularly when they're older, vulnerable. I felt it was incumbent on me to step up and play my role, because unfortunately it had become very necessary to keep society going. It seems like an everyday job, but in these circumstances you start to realise that if you weren't there, it would have a major impact. It makes you see the value you bring. My team were all very helpful and I tried to make sure that they stayed upbeat, kept a positive vibe. If ever there was an altercation, I would step in and be the punching bag for them, absorb that, and get them to go and do something else while I got the situation under control. But I think human beings are essentially kind and that for the most part COVID triggered our kindness to come out more. When you know you've been able to look after someone it's very satisfying and gratifying. It just fills you up inside."
"I've been working for Tesco for 20 years now and they've been a great company to work for. If people care about you, you care about them. When the pandemic happened they wanted to be there for the community, and they really looked after me and my team too. Yes, I did feel vulnerable being on the front line, but they reacted fast and spent lots of money to ensure we had plenty of hand sanitisers, we had very good masks, and we had all the information we needed. They also gave us all access to Headspace for our mental wellbeing. That took 50% of the feeling of vulnerability away and gave me the confidence to stay on the front line and help others. I basically kept working to make sure that the shop stayed open, it was filled for the customers, they could get access to the basic necessities, and that some people didn't take too much and leave others staring into empty cupboards at home.
I love being in the retail industry because it gives me contact with people. I know I'm only selling them tins of baked beans, but you're giving people a hand, particularly when they're older, vulnerable. I felt it was incumbent on me to step up and play my role, because unfortunately it had become very necessary to keep society going. It seems like an everyday job, but in these circumstances you start to realise that if you weren't there, it would have a major impact. It makes you see the value you bring. My team were all very helpful and I tried to make sure that they stayed upbeat, kept a positive vibe. If ever there was an altercation, I would step in and be the punching bag for them, absorb that, and get them to go and do something else while I got the situation under control. But I think human beings are essentially kind and that for the most part COVID triggered our kindness to come out more. When you know you've been able to look after someone it's very satisfying and gratifying. It just fills you up inside."
"I've been working for Tesco for 20 years now and they've been a great company to work for. If people care about you, you care about them. When the pandemic happened they wanted to be there for the community, and they really looked after me and my team too. Yes, I did feel vulnerable being on the front line, but they reacted fast and spent lots of money to ensure we had plenty of hand sanitisers, we had very good masks, and we had all the information we needed. They also gave us all access to Headspace for our mental wellbeing. That took 50% of the feeling of vulnerability away and gave me the confidence to stay on the front line and help others. I basically kept working to make sure that the shop stayed open, it was filled for the customers, they could get access to the basic necessities, and that some people didn't take too much and leave others staring into empty cupboards at home.