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Retail Trust launches support for workers facing customer abuse and financial pressures

The Retail Trust has launched safety videos and a wellbeing handbook to help retail workers deal with customer abuse, stress and money worries.

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Living well in retail handbook
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The Retail Trust has launched safety videos and a wellbeing handbook to help retail workers deal with customer abuse, stress and money worries before Christmas.

The videos cover incidents such as staff being filmed without consent, followed home or confronted by angry customers. 

They also offer advice on antisocial behaviour and recovering after abuse.

The content forms part of the charity’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign, which called for better treatment of shop workers.

Around 30% of staff told the Retail Trust that they or a colleague had been recorded without permission last year.

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The Retail Trust’s ‘Living well in retail’ handbook includes guidance on customer abuse, mental health, stress and financial wellbeing.

Its survey of more than 1,000 retail workers found 65% of managers said customer abuse was affecting their teams’ wellbeing, while 71% of staff said their mental health had deteriorated during the year.

18% of staff struggled to meet their monthly outgoings and 31% described their financial health as poor. 

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Among workers whose mental health had worsened, 46% blamed the rising cost of living.

The handbook included examples of support offered by NEXT, Currys, Reiss and Bensons for Beds.

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Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said: “People tell us that the pressures they deal with range from difficult situations on the shop floor and outside work to significant money worries.

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“The stress and uncertainty retail worker face often worsen in the run up to Christmas when shops are busier and finances become even more stretched, and we’ve created new videos and a wellbeing handbook to help more people through challenges like these.

“Our charity’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign will be calling on all of us to play our part by reminding everyone that something as simple as saying hello or thank you can make a real difference to someone working during one of the busiest times of the year.”

James Cadman, UKI retail, hospitality, healthcare sales director at Zebra Technologies, said: “Stress, poor work-life balance, and the persistent, unacceptable issue of customer abuse are creating a perfect storm that impacts our workforce’s health and happiness. 

“We have a shared responsibility to address these challenges head-on and build a better, more resilient retail sector for everyone.”

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Alasdair Field, chief executive of Reveal Media, said: “Cost of living, workload and customer abuse continue to take a serious toll, with frontline colleagues facing abusive behaviour at a scale that remains one of the sector’s most pressing challenges.

“What is changing is how retailers are responding. 

“The most forward-thinking are moving towards building environments where colleagues feel genuinely protected and supported, and where they know that if something happens, it will be taken seriously and acted on.”

Nathan Peacey, partner at Foot Anstey, said: “At a time when customer abuse shows no sign of easing, protecting retail colleagues has never been more important. 

“Encouragingly, retailers are responding and many are focused on creating safer, more respectful environments and embedding colleague wellbeing at the heart of their operations.

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“Industry collaboration is also gathering momentum and the Retail Trust’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign is bringing together retailers, industry bodies, police and policymakers to drive meaningful change.”

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