Staffing shortages are overwhelming East Lansing food service workers and making them feel overworked.
Sociology senior Briona Holloway works in the dining halls and due to the worker shortage age isn’t able to take off all the time she needs. She said the strict schedule is hurting her academic performance.
“It feels like I never have enough time to get my schoolwork done before I have to be at work again,” Holloway said.
In the beginning of the school year, Holloway’s hours increased from 20 hours to 30 hours a week. Since she couldn’t handle the increased workload, she is back working roughly 20 hours a week.
While this is a relief, her time at work is more stressful than before the COVID-19 pandemic. She often has to close by herself due to the worker shortage.
Los Tres Amigos had to close down due to the worker shortage. Education senior Katie Thorington tried to save the restaurant by picking up extra shifts, making “now hiring” signs and taking on a higher position.
“I took the role of assistant manager while taking 15 credits, doing my pre-student teaching and working a second job as a tutor for kindergarten through eighth grade students,” Thorington said.
The Cosmos also had to close down due to the worker shortage. While physiology junior Marnie Waggoner is upset about losing her job, she feels less stressed.
During her time at The Cosmos, she was never able to get shifts covered. When the restaurant got too busy, her manager was the only person who could help her.
Waggoner said she remembers serving 12 out of 28 tables at once. “I often had to serve a whole restaurant by myself,” she said.
Mitten Raised is busier than ever, but doesn’t have enough staff to handle the increase in customers.
Assistant manager Morgan Sego said, “we are turning away business because we just don’t have the staff to do it all right now. It’s a hard thing to swallow, but there isn’t much else we can do.”