🧑💼 Employees, Economy & Store Operations
Staff members are essential for a growing store, but they are also the source of the most common complaints. From asking for crazy raises to falling asleep on the job, here is how to manage your team effectively and break past the early game profit plateau.
1. When Can You Hire Employees?
You unlock the ability to hire staff as you level up your store:
- Level 6: First employee slot unlocked
- Level 20: Second employee slot unlocked
New applicants appear daily. Check the Staff Book on the round table in the back of your store to view their traits, skill levels, and daily pay rate.
2. Complete Employee Traits Guide
Stop hiring random people! Always check their specific traits before hiring. A bad trait can ruin your day.
| Trait | Effect | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Loyal | 0% chance of quitting, never asks for a raise | ★★★ BEST |
| Strong Immune System | Rarely or never takes sick days | ★★★ BEST |
| Complaint Handler | Efficiently deals with angry customers and late fees | ★★ Essential for Checkout |
| Runner | Faster movement speed, completes tasks quicker | ★★ Very Good |
| Strong Bladder | Never takes bathroom breaks | ★★ Very Good |
| Thick-Skinned | Can be told to "work faster" repeatedly without complaining | ★ Useful |
3. Employee Skill Levels
Each employee has skill ratings in two areas: Checkout and Return Station. These ratings affect how quickly they complete tasks:
- Fast: Completes tasks quickly
- Good: Above average speed
- Average: Standard speed
- Slow: Takes longer to complete tasks
Hiring Strategy: Prioritize "Loyal" + "Strong Immune System" traits over skill levels. A loyal employee with Average skills is better than a Fast employee who quits after 3 days. Your first hire should be assigned to the checkout counter.
Employee RNG Warning: Constant sick days and quitting on Day 1 is an RNG balancing issue currently in the game. Denying a sick day or raise often leads to instant quitting. If an employee lacks the "Loyal" or "Strong Immune" traits, fire them and wait for a better applicant.
4. Common Staff Misconceptions & Bugs
- "Is my employee stealing from me?" No. If you see a positive transaction (+$20) immediately followed by a negative one (-$16), it's just the employee handing change back to the customer. There is no stealing mechanic.
- Ruining Shelf Organization: Employees try to match genres to labels. However, if the correct genre shelf is full, they will place the tape in any empty space available, turning that shelf into a "Mixed" shelf. Keep your inventory balanced!
- Employee Getting Stuck / Freezing: As of recent updates, employees may randomly stand still and ignore reassignments. Resetting their job in the book often fails. The only reliable workaround is to Save and Restart the game.
- Sleeping on the Job: Staff will occasionally fall asleep standing up. You must empty your hands (drop tapes) to interact and wake them up.
5. Breaking the $300/Day Plateau
Many players feel their income stops growing around rank 10. Here is how to fix it and maximize your economy:
- Decorations Matter: Store expansions alone do NOT bring more customers. You must buy Decorations to increase the store's "Appeal" and drive foot traffic.
- Arcade Machines: Buy them! Two arcade machines can generate nearly $100 a day in pure passive income.
- Flyers vs. Regulars: Handing out flyers brings in "New" customers who usually only rent 1 tape. "Existing" loyal customers will rent 3-4 tapes at a time.
- The Profit Illusion: The end-of-day profit screen already deducts your employees' wages. You are actually making more money than you think!
6. Hidden Tape Mechanics
- Holo & Limited Editions: These tapes rent for $1 extra. They also sell for much higher in the Clearance Bin (50% of their boosted market value).
- The "Old" Tag: Movies with the "Old" trait will have their rental fee permanently reduced by $0.50.
- Review Scores Don't Matter: Customers actively want "Bad Critic" movies (especially Horror and Adult genres). Stock everything!
WARNING: The "Display Case" Trap
Do you put your rare Holographic movies in the decorative Display Case? Stop immediately! Due to a current game mechanic, customers can and will rent movies straight out of the display cases, and they might break them! Keep them hidden in the back room or on a table where customers cannot reach them until this is patched.
Do you put your rare Holographic movies in the decorative Display Case? Stop immediately! Due to a current game mechanic, customers can and will rent movies straight out of the display cases, and they might break them! Keep them hidden in the back room or on a table where customers cannot reach them until this is patched.