Almost 40% of retail workers want to leave their jobs or the industry altogether in a bid to escape soaring levels of violence and abuse, new data shows.
According to charity Retail Trust, which surveyed 1,200 workers, 47% of retail staff fear for their safety at work due to rising incidents of violence, making 39% of them want to quit their roles entirely.
Nearly half (48%) said they did not get enough support from their employer to deal with the current levels of violence, threats and abuse. Among those who felt unsupported, the number of people considering quitting rose to 56%.
The data also revealed that 55% of workers said the situation had worsened in the past two years, with nearly two thirds of them saying they now feel stressed and anxious going into work.
“I have worked in retail all my life, since I left school, and have always loved the social aspect, but the last few weeks have been horrendous to the point where I have considered resigning,” said a store sales assistant from Northern Ireland. “Two duty managers have resigned in the last two weeks because it was draining the life out of them. We can’t physically do any more, so morale is low.”
Another shopworker said: “I used to work in a charity shop and didn’t have any issues, but moving into mainstream retail three years ago was a revelation. I’m fairly capable of standing up for myself but sometimes the comments are so rude and inappropriate I’m left open-mouthed in shock.”
Retail Trust CEO Chris Brook-Carter said: “The incidents we hear about every day are both horrifying and heartbreaking. People tell us they have been spat on, had products smashed up in front of them and been filmed on their phones by abusive shoppers who then threaten to post the footage on social media.
“Thousands are contacting us to say they’re now being forced to consider leaving a job they love and often have worked in for many years because they no longer feel safe there.
“This unacceptable behaviour will only get worse unless more people are empowered to speak up, better supported to deal with their experiences and most of all, get the protection they need. I believe that retail can still be an amazing place to build a career, but we know that even just one terrible encounter can overshadow a hundred kind interactions.”
The charity’s survey also showed 29% of retail workers had received training from their employer over the past year to deal with abuse at work. This led to the level of workers wanting to quit their jobs being “significantly lower” than a workforce without supportive employers.
In light of the new findings, The Retail Trust is running free training sessions online and in London from 12 to 14 November, to arm hundreds of shop staff with new skills to manage challenging in-store situations this Christmas.
The campaign, which is called Respect Retail and backed by major retail companies including BP, Holland & Barrett, H&M and Frasers Group, will also support businesses to bring in new measures to help staff and adopt a zero-tolerance approach to abuse. It also supported by the BRC and Usdaw.
The Retail Trust also runs a wellbeing helpline and offers counselling to shop staff in need, and works with more than 200 retailers to improve the mental health of their staff.
“The latest findings by the Retail Trust are yet another reminder that we must redouble our efforts to tackle retail violence and that this is essential for healthier and happier workplaces,” said BRC CEO Helen Dickinson. “Ultimately, retail is an industry that relies on the amazing efforts of three million people, and we must do what we can to support them.”
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