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The Retail Trust is set to offer UK shop workers and delivery drivers free training on how to handle abuse and violence at work next month.
The charity will be running three online sessions to help retail staff deal with the “soaring levels” of antisocial and threatening behaviour.
Attendees will be shown how to manage and recover from challenging situations by de-escalating harassment and protecting their own wellbeing.
The move forms part of the Retail Trust’s Respect Retail campaign, which launched in 2022, to help retailers manage the abuse of their staff whilst providing in-person and online training for those at risk.
It comes as research by the Retail Trust found that 80% of retail staff have experienced verbal and physical assaults, while one in three (32%) face abuse every week and nearly half (47%) now feel unsafe going into work.
Some 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.
Meanwhile, the number of retail staff suffering poor wellbeing and working while unwell reached an 18-month high at the end of 2024, according to the Retail Trust and AlixPartners’ latest quarterly Retail People Index.
Chris Brook-Carter, CEO 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.
“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.
