Chris Yoman
Store manager at Woolworths, Fairfield Heights, Sydney
We’re a tight knit community here, and we bring a little something to all of our customers in these times, especially the elderly. Sometimes, we are the only people they speak to all day, and we have customers who will come in once a day, just looking to buy the simple things, but it’s the engagement for them.
They get to go home smiling, and come back the next day to chat about what’s going on – we just like to be there for people. At the beginning of the pandemic, people thought we were shutting down and it hit them hard. They started bulk buying, but when they realised we were on board and were going to stay open, it changed.
I’m not nervous about interacting with our customers. I’m always in conversation with my team, and we are comfortable. It’s been largely normal for us, and apart from precautionary measures, we’re keeping safe.
But it means we haven’t felt the lockdown like others have, especially those who haven’t been able to go into work. We put so much effort into the store, and how much time we put into maintaining it, it doesn’t always feel like a lockdown, it’s kind of business as usual.
If anything it made us understand why we’re an essential worker. Before, it was just, “Oh, we just work in retail”, but now I feel like myself and the team see how valuable and important we are to the community. It feels like more than just a job.
It means I’m always prioritising the wellbeing of my team, I’m always checking in on them, making sure every day we’re good to go. As long as my team are working with good mental wellbeing, as long as they are comfortable, that’s what gets me through the day.
My team has made me so proud, especially the leadership team. They have really stepped up to the plate, and I think they’ve done an amazing job, and continue to be motivated to come in every day and deliver.
Jackson Gray
Postal worker for Auspost, Sydney
I’d like to think our job has always been pretty important, but has become even more so during lockdown. I’m always delivering essential items for my customers including medications and other urgent items.
As posties, we help people stay connected – including [delivering] lots of things from places overseas. In recent weeks, while the shops have been closed, I’ve also been delivering a lot of online shopping, our parcel volumes have been really high.
I love being outside on my bike and interacting with my customers every day. And at the moment, for most of my day I don’t feel unsafe, because I don’t see as many people as I would normally, because of the strict rules here in Sydney.
But I’m young and healthy so I’m less worried about the effect on me if I were to catch it, my concern is more about the risk of me passing it on to my family or my customers.
I’m so grateful for my job and the fact that I can still go to work, that helps take things off my mind a little.
But it has been a struggle to see friends and family that are doing it tough, and people posting on social media about how it’s impacting them. We’re in a little bit of a cycle where everyone is just waiting until the next 11am press conference to hear what the case numbers are.
Like everyone, it’s probably the simple things I miss most about pre-Covid life. I miss being able to walk around without a face mask and the need to QR code wherever you go. I also miss being able to travel and go where you want when you want to, seeing my friends and family, and sharing in all those big life events like birthdays and other celebrations.
