Trust issues: why the UK must follow New York’s lead in helping retail staff deal with and defuse abuse
By Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust.
Spending on anti-crime measures like more security personnel, CCTV and body-worn cameras reached £1.8 billion last year, according to the BRC, as retail employers were forced to invest more than ever before to protect their staff’s physical safety.
But the level of insults, threats, attacks and shoplifting now impacting British shop workers daily and being reported on regularly isn’t just an issue in the UK.
Across the Atlantic, New York State has just introduced the new Retail Worker Safety Act. As well as ordering nearly all retail workplaces to adopt violence prevention policies, retailers with more than 50 employees must also provide annual training on how to spot, de-escalate and escape problem behaviour.
Never Miss a Retail Update!In the UK, Labour’s proposed Crime and Policing Bill is set to bring in new measures against those who assault retail workers, and harsher penalties for shoplifting items worth less than £200, but goes short of calling for the same training and policy requirements of British retailers.
However, ensuring employers have the right training and wellbeing support to help their staff through this issue is as important as putting in place the necessary safety measures and properly enforcing and resourcing the police to tackle the most serious incidents.
Two thirds of retail workers we surveyed for our Respect Retail campaign tell us they now feel stressed and anxious going to work, due to the current levels of threats and abuse. Nearly half feel unsafe while there and 39% are looking to quit their jobs or the industry altogether as a result.
Meanwhile, half of the people we spoke to say their employer still isn’t doing enough to support them, and a quarter still keep incidents to themselves. Among those who feel unsupported by their employer, the proportion who also feel unsafe at work rises to as high as three quarters.
That’s why the Retail Trust’s respect retail initiative continues to prioritise free, practical skills sessions for retail staff. First introduced ahead of Christmas, we’ve now partnered with Sensormatic Solutions to run three more free online training sessions this week, on 24, 25 and 26 June.
This will cover spotting early warning signs, techniques to calm situations, and strategies on how to properly recover afterwards. Registration is open at retailtrust.org.uk/respect and each session is also available on demand until 30 June.
We’re running this training because while it is clear that the UK government will not replicate New York’s mandatory training in the short term, retailers do not need it to become law to justify common-sense investment in their people.
Businesses that move first will keep experienced colleagues, protect brand reputation and, most importantly, ensure that no shop worker has to decide between earning a wage and safeguarding their physical and mental health.
Visit retailtrust.org.uk/respect to register for the free training on 24, 25 and 26 June. Sessions are available on demand until 30 June.
