As pandemic restrictions and lockdowns start to end, many retailers are finding themselves at a crossroads between welcoming customers back inside and keeping their frontline employees safe. Plexiglass shields around registers and signs advising physical distancing are all meant to keep employees safe, but they also reduce interactions with customers. And while some employees feel comfortable returning to work, some retail employees are experiencing anxiety over customer interactions due to the lifting of mask mandates when less than one third of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated.