Retail staff to get free training on how to deal with abuse at work

UK shop workers and delivery drivers are to get free training on how to handle retail abuse and violence, in free online courses on offer from the Retail Trust next month.

The charity is running three online sessions, in partnership with retail technology provider Sensormatic Solutions, to help retail staff deal with the soaring levels of antisocial and threatening behaviour in the industry, with the first scheduled for 24 June.

Attendees will be shown how to manage and recover from challenging situations by de-escalating harassment and protecting their own wellbeing.

It forms part of the Retail Trust’s Respect Retail campaign, launched in 2022 to help retailers manage the abuse of their staff and provide in-person and online training to those at risk.

Research by the charity has found that 80% of retail staff have experienced verbal and physical assaults, one in three (32%) face abuse every week and nearly half (47%) now feel unsafe going into work.

49% said their employers needed to do more to deal with the current levels of abuse and violence and 39% are considering quitting their jobs or the retail industry altogether due to the rise in attacks. The British Retail Consortium has said incidents of retail abuse and violence increased by 50% last year, to over 2,000 a day.

Thousands of people have now been through the training on retail abuse, including Anita Thorpe, owner of Brixton Wholefoods. She said: “I found the training eye-opening. It was reassuring to know we’re not alone in facing this issue. It provided me with useful information to help our team become more aware of how to manage personal safety issues at work.”

Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said: “All retail staff should be offered training to protect workers under threat from vile insults, threats and attacks. The emotional impact alone is having a devastating effect on the people calling our helpline every day.

“Our research found the likelihood of people wanting to quit their job falls by as much as 60% if they get support from their employer.”

“The Retail Trust will be teaching people how to safely de-escalate these situations and prioritise their mental health and recovery. Our research found the likelihood of people wanting to quit their job falls by as much as 60% if they get this kind of support from their employer, which shows that staff better prepared to deal with the threat of abuse also feel much safer and happier at work.”

The free training is being run online on 24, 25 and 26 June, with each 25-minute session also available to watch on demand until 30 June. Employers and staff can register to take part by visiting retailtrust.org.uk/respect.

It has been announced during Mental Health Awareness Week, when thousands of retail staff are also receiving new resources from the Retail Trust to mark the week. The charity has sent out hundreds of boxes filled with activities for retailers to share with their teams and has boosted its online offering to include new activities, advice and exercises to help people protect their mental health.