Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a continuous shortage of items and staff for various places in every community. Unfortunately, Winthrop Dining Services is experiencing the same staffing and item shortage.
At the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020, thousands of people who worked in places like grocery stores were considered essential workers. However, because of panic and fear from the pandemic, many people left these positions and did not return.
During the pandemic, items such as soap, Clorox, bleach, toilet paper, and face masks. Unfortunately, due to many manufacturers being closed because of the increasing coronavirus cases, establishments were unable to get the materials to sell to their customers.
It is hard to drive down a busy road without seeing various “we’re hiring” signs on the windows of stores and fast-food restaurants.
Now that we are a year and six months into the pandemic, there are still shortages of both items and staff all over the country.
“The shortage affects me in the sense that I do DoorDash, and I am unable to get food to the customer in enough time, and sometimes the wait time is longer,” said Matthew Ervin, junior social work major.
Students are seeing the effects of staffing shortage in their dining options here on campus and at establishments around campus.
Cooper Guest, a junior business management major said, “Maybe the businesses around campus could try to work with Winthrop to hire some students.”
The general manager at all Winthrop Dining locations, Helen Hoban, explained that much of the shortages on campus are also a result of the pandemic.
“Many people are afraid to work any positions that are directly customer–facing,” Hoban said. “We have had several employees resign after school started as they had personal health concerns.”
Although the staff and item shortage has been frustrating for both staff and students on campus, there are now more opportunities for students to work on campus.
“We have student employees and openings in Markley’s, Eagle Eatery, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, and Einstein’s Brothers Bagels,” Hoban said. “We try to work around student schedules understanding that first and foremost students are here for their education.
“We are very fortunate to have some excellent students on our crews.”
Winthrop Dining Services is doing the best they can with the items and circumstances they are given and working to make sure their students are fed and happy. Thankfully, Winthrop has faculty and staff that are working hard each day.
“We understand the frustrations, and I assure you that all of us wish we ha[d] more employees, as many of our staff are doing 2-3 jobs and working a considerable amount of overtime,” Hoban said.
“I would like to thank the students and the entire Winthrop community for their patience as work through national shortages of labor and of products such as paper and plastic cups, and Pepsi outages,” Hoban said, “I often wish I had a magic wand to solve these problems.”
