With apparent staffing shortages hitting businesses around the United States, some customers have taken employees’ duties into their own hands.
One example of a customer doing just that recently went viral on TikTok. In a video that now has over 3.3 million views, user Michelle (@bekindre_wine) documents her mom cutting her own fabric at Walmart, a job that’s supposed to be done by an employee.
“My mom will not let a little staff shortage keep her from getting fabric at Walmart,” she writes in the caption.
@bekindre_wine My mom will not let a little staff shortage keep her from getting fabric at Walmart! #walmart #peopleofwalmart ♬ original sound – Michelle DuPlessis D
In the video, one can hear Michelle’s mom complain about the lack of staffing.
“I’m not waiting for…somebody to come here,” she says as she unrolls a bundle of fabric and begins to cut.
In the text overlaying the video, Michelle adds, “No employees? No problem…I’ll do it my damn self!”
In comments, users seconded the idea that Michelle’s mother was not being helped due to staffing issues.
According to viewers, Walmart employees are frequently required to cover several sections, which in turn leaves many areas unattended for long periods of time. In spite of this, Walmart insists that the company has an overstaffing issue, per Marketplace.
“Not [our] fault when management keeps telling us we are over staffed and we have one associate to work an entire department,” one user wrote.
“Please be patient with the staff,” another added. “In my store there is usually one person for that whole side of the store and they are covering other areas.”
“People work multiple departments,” a third explained. “I guarantee you as well that the employee got stopped multiple times on their way to help too. And we can’t say no.”
“Just letting you all know that they literally make 1 person cover 5 departments by themselves. so it’s not easy being everywhere,” a fourth claimed. “Also not everyone has keys. I don’t even work in Hardlines and I have to cover Hardware, Sporting goods, Fabric, Stationary, and Celebrations along with my 9 departments in Apparel…so just chill and hold on.”
“Apparently we’re all overstaffed with no staff,” they concluded. “it’s getting crazy.”
In comments, Michelle clarifies that she did not intend for her video to come off as insulting to the people working at Walmart.
“This was not meant to be disrespectful,” she wrote. “I’ve worked in retail for many years. I know the struggle is real.”
We’ve reached out to Michelle via TikTok comment and Walmart via media contact form.
Today’s top stories
| ‘Fill her up’: Bartender gives woman a glass of water when the man she’s with orders tequila shot |
| ‘I don’t think my store has even sold one’: Whataburger employees take picture with first customer who bought a burger box |
| ‘It was a template used by anyone in the company’: Travel agent’s ‘condescending’ out-of-office email reply sparks debate |
| Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online. |