The coronavirus has also not overlooked large merchants: staff shortages are not yet available, but black scenarios are ready | Deal

Retail workers are 20 times more likely to be infected with coronavirus than the general population, according to a study published recently by the TH Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University in the United States, which recently described Dailymail.co.uk.

Researchers who studied 104 employees of a retail chain in Boston, USA, found that 20 percent. are infected with coronavirus. And in the local community, the infection rate was only 0.9 to 1.3 percent.

Additionally, the same study found that employees who interacted with customers, such as cashiers, were five times more likely to test positive for coronavirus. It is true that three quarters of the workers studied had no symptoms.

Cashiers and other supermarket workers who come into contact with the population are classified as the most dangerous occupations and other investigations. And the public, asking for thanks to the people who worked during the pandemic, suggests remembering not only doctors, but also bus drivers or cashiers.

In Lithuania, retail chains are not yet among the hottest hotspots for coronavirus, but the virus has not bypassed any of the top five merchants in our country.

Traders say there are not many sick workers yet, so there is no labor shortage, but companies are preparing in advance for various scenarios.

Most cases in Maxima

The Maxima retail chain is the largest employer in Lithuania, employing almost 13,000 people. population. Not surprisingly, this company has the highest number of workers sick from COVID-19 compared to other merchants.

Ernesta Dapkienė, Director of the Department of Communication and Image of Maxima 15 minutes reported Thursday that COVID-19 currently has 51 employees, but that’s only 0.4 percent. of all Maxima employees. Another 49 employees are in self-isolation.

A total of 79 Maxima workers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, 28 of whom have recovered and returned to work.

A total of 79 Maxima workers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, 28 of whom have recovered and returned to work.

Palink, the second-largest employee at the Iki retail chain, fell ill with a total of 19 illnesses between October 1 and November 4. 15 minutes reported Vaida Budrienė, Iki’s communications manager.

Of the 5,528 workers who work here, 25 have fallen ill since the start of the pandemic.

Rimi’s sales network, which Sodra says employs 3,059 people, received news of the positive COVID-19 test last week and this week, and a total of 15 employees received COVID-19 treatment and recovery at home.

Some older workers are not working

Rata Public Relations Manager Renata Keršienė 15 minutes He said that some workers feel symptoms, others do not, all are treated at home. Since the start of the pandemic, 27 employees have fallen ill in various divisions of the Rimi network.

According to R.Keršienė, currently 5 to 7 percent. Rimi employees do not work for a variety of reasons. Employees who have had close contact with colleagues infected with coronavirus are in self-isolation.

The number of unemployed also includes older workers who, due to a rapidly spreading pandemic, have chosen not to work and stay home at this time: some of them are on sick leave, others on sick leave.

Furthermore, the number of unemployed currently in the Rimi network has been supplemented by employees who cannot leave their unmarried children studying at home.

According to Thursday’s data, Norfos mažmena and Lidl Lietuva have only a few employees.

Norfos mažmena currently has 6 employees in the retail network, which has even more employees than Rimi – 3,257, and 10 are in self-isolation. 10 employees have been ill since the beginning of the year.

And at the Lidl retail chain, which employs 2,236 employees, there are three sick people and about ten in self-isolation. How 15 minutes The head of Lidl Lietuva’s communications and corporate affairs department, Valdas Kauppas, reported that one of the patients is already recovering and should return to work in the coming days.

Since the start of the pandemic, a total of six workers (including those who are now ill) have fallen ill at this retail chain.

Preparing for black scenarios

Retail chains, which run hundreds of stores, say the number of workers sick from COVID-19 so far is not concerning.

“Most of the people infected with COVID-19 and self-isolated due to possible contact with patients are employees of separate stores in different Lithuanian cities. We have isolated cases of COVID-19 in the rooms. It is not difficult to temporarily change 2-3 employees in teams, especially in larger stores, ”said E. Dapkienė.

However, companies are posing various scenarios, even if there is a shortage of employees. According to a Maxima representative, managing the situation would be difficult if the virus spread to staff in a store, warehouse or food production workshop in such a way that it would be necessary to isolate the entire shift.

And there are already examples of how an inflamed coronavirus can disrupt business. 14 of the 70 employees of Joniškis Maxima XX had to apply additional preventive measures in case of coronavirus disease.

“We allow work only for those employees who underwent prophylactic tests and received negative COVID-19 test results. Naturally, the number of employees has decreased, “commented E. Dapkienė.

Thus, when regulating the workload in this store, it was necessary to temporarily reduce the working day by four hours, harden and limit the flow of buyers to the store, suspend the provision of some services for almost a week, such as collecting utility bills public and sell lottery tickets.

A Maxima spokeswoman said all employees had been screened and were already registering for a new COVID-19 assessment, so the store was ready to return to normal operation.

Other traders have also considered these cases beforehand. V.Budrienė said that retail chain Iki had been carefully reviewing its business continuity plans over the summer. So while there is no anxiety at the moment, the company is also ready for a backup plan.

“We are also ready for black scenarios, we have discussed solutions, what if there was a shortage of employees due to illness and self-isolation. We would turn to staffing agencies, we would mobilize administrative staff, “said a representative of” Iki “.

We are also prepared for black scenarios in case of staff shortages due to illness and self-isolation. We would use staffing agencies and mobilize administrative staff, said a representative from Iki.

And R.Keršienė revealed that Rimi already feels a greater need for employees, so she is looking for new employees, temporarily using the employee rental services.

The need for employees is felt as the electronic store Rimi.lt is expanding, with plans to open four new stores by the end of the year. In addition, with the spread of the second wave of the pandemic and the growing number of sick people, the company re-examined the work schedules of all employees, estimating the number of unemployed, seasonal illnesses and minimizing contact between individual shifts.

For employees: both accessories and a psychologist’s consultation

Retail chains offer additional bonuses to quarantined workers, with special insurance against COVID-19.

And before the second quarantine, the Iki retail chain presented its employees with an emotional helpline called “How do you feel?” All company employees who manage the Palink retail chain every Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. until 11 pm You can call and speak to a professional psychologist about emotional problems that arise during this period. Consultations for employees are confidential and free.