Essential Value

As the number of unemployed continues to rise in America, it is painfully clear that, in addition to health, the financial worlds of many have been shaken by this COVID-19 pandemic. Those of us fortunate enough to still have our jobs, are doing what we must to keep them. Empathize with me, the stress of the Essential worker who has to continue to get up in the morning and commute to their jobsite, as if none of this is going on. It’s hardly “business as usual”. Imagine the fear of being infected by a co-worker and bringing that infection home to the ones you love. Imagine witnessing coworkers quit or elect to stay home without pay in order to prevent exposure, and wondering if you’re doing the right thing by continuing to work to provide for yourself and your family. Imagine how hard it might be to go to work, when you actually know someone, personally, who has been very sick or, worse, has perished from this deadly virus. You’re receiving the same paycheck but at a greater risk than ever before. If at no other time in your life, you may do some cost to benefit analysis of taking advantage of the government assistance that is available versus continuing to leave your home. If at no other time in your life, you may consider many new avenues to get what you consider “essential”.

Now then, imagine you’re a warehouse worker for Amazon, Target, Walmart, or a similar company. How could your employer make you feel like you’re essential to them? What if your employer provided an exclusive shopping experience for you, their essential worker? Would that make you feel important? If it were me, I’d say, “It’s a good start”. As an essential worker, why should you have to go without the essential goods that have all but disappeared from the markets? If you’re picking, packing, and shipping the very toilet paper, hand soaps, bottled waters, and other items you find impossible to secure when you get off from work and head to the super market, wouldn’t it be awesome to have some exclusive access to buy those items directly from your employer? I asked someone, who works for Amazon, how they would like to have an “employees only” store, and they’re response to me was insightful. “We have to look at the stuff all day anyways”, they said. They compared working at the fulfillment center to window shopping. I figure it’s a lot like working at the mall. You’re seeing all kinds of things you want to try out, along with items you feel like you need. As you’re working, you’re subconsciously creating this shopping list based on the items you’re seeing throughout the workday, like ads you see as you scroll through your social media feed. As if these essential workers didn’t have to deal with enough, they’re being teased all day at work, sometimes coming in direct contact with items they’ve run out of at home.

Many are extending their gratitude to the essential worker, and while simply having a job is a clear and obvious blessing in this economic climate. This time has given us unique perspective on specific job functions within our society. The essential worker contributes to society in such a way that we cannot do without them. They’re part of an ecosystem that keeps our nation going and keeps us all alive. They shouldn’t have to go without the things they need for their families, and, if only during this time, they should be paid better wages for their health risk. Let’s give our essential workers hazard pay, and let them know we appreciate their sacrifice.