- Nine Wells Fargo branches in Colorado have temporarily closed.
- A Wells Fargo spokesperson told The Gazette that this was because of "staffing constraints."
- Understaffed businesses have been cutting their opening hours and slashing operations.
At least nine Wells Fargo branches in Colorado, including two in Denver and two in Colorado Springs, have temporarily closed because of understaffing, The Gazette reported.
As of early Friday morning, all nine branches cited in The Gazette's report were still listed as temporarily closed on the bank's website.
A Wells Fargo spokesperson told The Gazette that the company had closed the branches "because of staffing constraints, and the branches will resume operations as soon as possible."
The spokesperson said that customers can use the bank's branch locator to see which ones are open, and that they can complete most transactions using mobile or internet banking.
The lobbies of at least five other Wells Fargo branches in Colorado are shut, though their drive-up facilities remain open, The Gazette reported.
The Gazette didn't mention the nature of the staffing constraints. Wells Fargo did not immediately respond to Insider's request outside of business hours for comment on the staffing constraints, or whether the lobby closures were also due to staffing issues.
Workers want better wages, benefits, and working conditions
Closures at businesses across the US have become familiar to consumers. Restaurants, school districts, freight companies and hospitals are all among sectors that have been affected, with many enterprises struggling to maintain staffing levels.
In sectors that have struggled to recruit or retain staff, many workers have cited a desire for better wages, benefits, and working conditions among reasons for leaving or not applying for jobs. Others are concerned about the risk of contracting COVID-19 at work. Many understaffed businesses have been cutting their opening hours and slashing operations.
Some workers say that the current imbalance in the labor market means that they have more leverage and are able to hold out for better jobs.
Others have also been returning to education, switching industries, or retiring early.
Wells Fargo lists 151 job vacancies in Colorado on its website. Wells Fargo Bank tellers in Colorado working 40 hours a week earn between $33,300 and $42,200 a year, job listings say.
Got a story about the labor shortage? Email this reporter at [email protected].
