Key Highlights:
- TikTok creator @deszb_ shared a viral video calling out managers who assign back-to-back closing and opening shifts, commonly called “clopening.”
- The video accumulated over 192,000 views and nearly 1,000 comments, prompting widespread debate among service-industry workers and managers.
- While employees criticized the grueling turnaround times between late-night mall shifts and early mornings, at least one manager noted the difficulty of accommodating everyone’s hours.
Viral TikTok Highlights Retail Workers’ Frustrations With ‘Clopening’ Shifts
A viral video posted by TikTok creator @deszb_ has ignited a conversation about scheduling practices in customer service, fast food, and retail roles, specifically focusing on mall establishments. The content creator directed scrutiny toward supervisors who routinely expect team members to close a store late in the evening only to return hours later to open the business the following morning. By the time of reporting, the video had garnered roughly 192,000 views and collected 941 comments on the social platform.
The core grievance focuses on the practice widely termed “clopening”—a portmanteau designating consecutive closing and opening shifts with minimal turnaround time. Explaining the reality of working late retail hours, @deszb_ highlighted that mall locations frequently operate until 10 p.m., leaving staff with hardly any rest or personal downtime before returning early the next morning.
In her video, @deszb_ challenged supervisory staff, asking: “Why do you think I would want to sit up here, clean the whole store, set up the store for in the morning and stay all the way until close and then turn around, not have no time for myself, get up and come open? … Why would I want to clopen?”
Workers and Managers Clash Over Availability and Scheduling Hardships
The creator argued that leaders who compile the rosters rarely endure these back-to-back schedules themselves, yet consistently impose them on front-line employees. Asserting boundaries, she added: “I have a life,”
a statement that resonated deeply with customer-facing workers navigating unpredictable weekly shifts.
In the comment section, retail employees chimed in to express their shared exhaustion over erratic scheduling patterns and perceived leadership double standards. One commenter remarked, “retail managers NEVER work any shift but morning but will have you closing EVERYNIGHT![sic]”
another echoed similar feelings about workplace expectations, commenting: “Yall[sic] saying ‘open availability’ and never once considered the person you hired as a human being? You won’t work back to back so why tf[sic] would I?”
However, the critique also elicited responses from store leadership dealing with the logistical complexities of drafting weekly rosters. Defending management’s perspective, one user shared: “honey im a manager and I just clopen this week. I take hours making the schedule making sure ppl got hours and a fair schedule. then the minute.. then minute it dont fit their needs they complaining. like dang I missed it this give me a dang break. I be tryin and ppl still be unsatisfied. really as a manager can’t win for losing.”
Why This Matters
The discussion surrounding @deszb_’s video underscores persistent labor challenges across retail and food service environments, where non-standard hours, fluctuating shift patterns, and open-availability requirements routinely clash with work-life balance. For hourly workers in mall settings, consecutive late-night and morning duties leave few hours for commuting, sleep, and recovery, fueling ongoing workplace burnout. At the same time, the discourse reveals the ongoing operational tension between balancing individual employee schedules, meeting corporate labor budgets, and maintaining store coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a “clopen” shift in the service and retail industry?
A “clopen” occurs when an employee is scheduled to work the closing shift at a business and then scheduled to return the very next morning for the opening shift, resulting in very limited personal time or rest between shifts.
What specific concerns did TikToker @deszb_ raise regarding mall retail jobs?
The creator noted that shopping malls often stay open until 10 p.m. Closing duties—such as cleaning and staging the store—keep workers late, meaning that returning to open the following morning leaves them with insufficient time to rest, recharge, or attend to personal life.
How did managers respond to the criticisms about scheduling?
While many employees agreed with the criticism, some managers defended the planning process, stating that balancing store needs while ensuring all employees receive sufficient and fair hours is extremely difficult, noting that even well-intentioned supervisors face dissatisfaction from staff.
