A closer look at Aldi's store hierarchy could also explain why there is a need for chairs. If you're a store associate at Aldi, you don't have one task, you have a few, and everyone is supposed to chip in to get things done. "Our job is considered physically demanding, because Aldi has very few employees running per shift, meaning there are more expectations placed on each of us," Jonah, an Aldi employee tells Mental Floss. "If you aren't ringing, you are expected to be cleaning, stocking, re-stocking, or organizing the shelves. There is no 'down time.'"
Jonah further tells Mental Floss that they are expected to process 1,200 items an hour. "Ringing is the only part where we get an actual report, but managers will tell us that we are expected to knock out two pallets per hour, or one pallet every half hour," he says.
So yes, the cashiers need those chairs. Too bad they aren't exactly relaxing.
