Brittany LeJeune

Major retail jobs support the day to day operations that keep the economy running. Cashiers, waitresses, and cooks show up to work despite tough schedules that are physically demanding and fast paced. Department stores, hardware stores, supermarkets, convenience stores and gift shops service several hundred to a thousand customers a day. 

“With the U.S. population at an estimated 343 million according to the U.S. Census Bureau, there is one convenience store per every 2,257 people in the United States,” according to the  Advancing Convenience & Fuel Retailing (NACS).

Most businesses require workers to manage schedules including nights, weekends, and holidays. Employees put in over 40 hours per week often working overtime to keep businesses open. People need these products and goods in high demand all day. A majority of locations are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The average American may stop at a gas station five to seven times a month. 

“Because of all this, gas station employees are unlike any other members of the customer service field,” Gavin Jenkins said in a Vice article. “They interact with people from all walks of life, all of whom seem to be agitated and in a hurry. After the Mercedes owner buys a bottle of coconut water, the next person in line might buy a bag of chips with food stamps.”

The effort of standing, lifting, and walking for an eight hour shift is physically demanding. This is in the job description but the result is an aching back and sore feet. Work must be done quickly to keep up with the large number of customers that businesses service daily. A long list of orders and tasks require work to be done in a short amount of time. The result is a fast paced environment that can become intense. A long line of people who need to check out becomes repetitive and tiring. 

“More than half of all hourly retail workers reported they are burned out at their jobs,” Grant Thorton said. 

The average starting pay for a retail job is $14 per hour. This is competitive pay considering that most entry level jobs start at this rate. Retail jobs are described as harder because they are more physically demanding and stressful. Monthly bills such as rent, insurance, and groceries add up leaving workers struggling to manage their money and take care of their families. They work in extremely hard conditions in order to get by financially. 

“Fast food and counter workers (2.4 million) and cashiers (2.4 million) were the occupations with the most jobs paying less than $15 per hour,” according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Within both occupations, over 70 percent of jobs paid less than $15 per hour.”

Workers in the retail market often stay in their profession for long periods of time. The physical, stressful nature of these jobs can be emotionally demanding. Agitated customers, shift changes, and high demand affects mental health. Employees experience problems with sleep and balancing their lives. Most experience stressful work conditions that cause anxiety and frustration.

“Retail employees routinely support frustrated, angry or even abusive customers,” according to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. “Unlike office workers, they don’t get to close a laptop and walk away when stress ramps up, and the emotional toll accumulates — shift after shift.”

Retail jobs make up a majority of the workforce in the country.These businesses bolster the economy by supplying merchandise and basic necessities every day. People stop at a gas station to fuel up and shop at supermarkets every week. There is someone behind the counter checking out customers who have been on their feet for eight hours and could use a day off. Without retail workers, the everyday routines of life would not function as they should. The retail market is one of the biggest and most important sectors of the economy.