While the world adjusts to a new “normal,” there are a group of people working tirelessly to keep everything together. They are essential employees. They are the unlikely heroes that hold society together like glue. In normal circumstances, the impact that these people have in our lives often goes unnoticed. However, in times like these, they put everything on the line to uphold as much normalcy as possible.

What is an Essential Employee?

 An essential employee is a person whose job is required in order to maintain important operations. Limitations on employment vary from state to state. There are obvious groups that cross state lines, such as health care professionals and first responders. However, there are many, less obvious trades that are absolutely essential to everyday life. These include, but are not limited to:

• Grocery store workers
• Pharmacists
• Veterinary medicine
• Bank tellers
• Public transit workers
• Postal workers/ Delivery Drivers
• Mechanics

There are many jobs that are deemed “non-essential” that are still very important to our society. However, the listed essential employees have the added pressure of being unable to perform their jobs from the safety of their homes. Without them, we could not buy food for our families. We could not pay our bills, take our medicines, or care for our fur-family members. Without public transit, many essential employees would be unable to get to their jobs in the first place. It is important to acknowledge the sacrifice that these people make every day to keep our world running as smoothly as they can.

How can I make essential employees jobs easier?

Any kind of job comes with it’s own pressures. Essential employees are now experiencing the additional pressures that go along with being on the “front line.” Right now, the most important thing that you can do for someone is to show them compassion. This should be extended to the workers whose stress levels are only continuing to increase. A great way to show compassion to essential employees is to make their jobs easier for them.

There are many ways that you can assist in making someone’s job easier. A lot of that is dependent on what kind of job that they do. For example, 

• when a grocery worker is bringing your items to you curbside, have your trunk/ door already open for them. 
• When you are requesting a refill on your medication, don’t wait until you are completely out. 
• Be honest when giving your medical history to a nurse who is trying to treat you. 
• Give clear directions to your delivery driver so that they can complete their shifts in the most efficient way possible.

Another way to show compassion to an essential employee is to just be kind and understanding. Tensions are high with everyone right now. It is easy to take that tension out on someone who doesn’t deserve it. Sometimes mistakes are made, items aren’t available, or wait times are unusually long. This can be frustrating, and it is understandable! However, most people are just doing their best in the circumstances that they have. Being patient and flexible is one of the best things that you can do to help an essential employee with their job. 

How can I help the essential employees in my life?

There are so many things you can do for your loved one who is an essential employee. The best way to know how to help is to ask! However, there are some general things that you can do for someone to show them that you care.

I am considered an essential employee in my day job. The thing that has helped me the most is having a support system. For example, many grocery stores have cut back their hours of operation, leaving me with no time. My mother and sister have shopped for me many times to make sure I have everything that I need. As a restaurant employee, my partner was furloughed from his job and we took a hit financially. My grandparents helped by paying off the last bit of my tuition for the semester, so we could use our savings for emergencies. A friend of mine knew that I was low on toiletries. She offered to make a trade for some things that I had that she was missing. All of these things took so much weight off of my shoulders.  

Even if you are unable to make big contributions, you can still help your loved one in small ways. One small thing that has helped me is the support I have gotten from my family at Safe Harbor International Ministries. We communicate everyday. I get so many positive messages that help lift my spirits. We share good news stories, uplifting quotes, and offer prayer requests for each other. As someone who struggles with mental illness, the impact that these glimpses of positivity has on me has helped my mental health in huge ways. Sending small messages of solidarity to your loved one can help them just as much as helping them physically.

Conclusion

Essential employees take risks everyday to ensure that you can live your life as normally as possible. Without them, the foundations of our society would collapse. We can help these people thrive by being compassionate and supportive. It is more important now than ever to come together as a community and lift up those who need it. If we don’t take care of our essential employees, then we will not have them to keep our society functioning. 

Now is the time to be kind no matter where you are or who you are with. Go out of your way to thank someone for their efforts. Negativity is contagious and goes through people like dominoes, but so is kindness. The kindness to show to one person will be transferred to someone else. I’ve mentioned before that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Neither can essential employees. Fill them up with your kindness so that they can keep giving back until we are all back on our feet.

Written by Bethany Fischer, blogger at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, visit, www.safeharborim.com/articles/