Anxious customers open up to council staff

IN an unforeseen side effect of the Covid19 crisis, Clutha’s service centre staff have found themselves having to pay extra attention since lockdown ended.

Clutha District Council libraryservice centre manager Debbie Duncan alerted the council to the situation during a recent meeting, where she revealed iSite and service centre staff were spending an increasing amount of time assisting anxious or distressed customers.

Mrs Duncan said those anxieties seemed mainly to be related to emotional and financial effects of the Covid19 pandemic and lockdown, and were not exclusive to any particular group.

‘‘None of us have perfect lives and, postCovid, many of our customers — of all ages, and from all walks of life — have been venting their worries with our staff across the district.

‘‘We want to be a good employer, and part of that is making sure our staff are properly equipped to deal with every customer and their needs, under all circumstances.

‘‘Due to the increase in anxious customers using our facilities, we’ll be providing the team with additional resilience training in November.’’

Balclutha iSite team leader Ange Anderson said people opening up to her and her team had become more common recently.

‘‘We’ve heard the situation’s similar right across the country, at service centres, libraries and no doubt in people’s regular shops.

‘‘Part of our job is to be welcoming, good listeners in a warm and friendly environment so, although we’re by no means a social agency, it’s understandable when people open up.’’

She said Clutha centres were able to ‘‘point customers in the right direction’’ towards professional help from other agencies, if required.

Mrs Duncan said the situation had, at times, been ‘‘quite hard’’ for staff.

‘‘It’s natural to want to be sympathetic, but we want our staff to feel OK, too.

‘‘It’s about good, oldfashioned kindness all round.’’

❛ . . . postCovid, many of our customers — of all ages, and from all walks of life — have been venting their worries with our staff across the district

PHOTO: RICHARD DAVISON Listening ear . . . Clutha District Council libraryservice centre manager Debbie Duncan (right) checks in on Balclutha iSite staff Jo McLeary (left), and Ange Anderson yesterday, in advance of employee ‘‘resilience’’ training.