Safe Work Australia: 56pc increase in serious complaints relating to workplace aggression and violence

Aggression towards retail workers has risen over the past decade, and companies fear a new fallout from Aussie shoppers’ constant aggression.

EXCLUSIVE

Nine out of 10 human resources leaders are concerned about the impact of aggressive behaviour on frontline staff, new polling shows.

“And 73 per cent of respondents to the YouGov research, which was commissioned by Australian VR training company Start Beyond, fear the constant aggression towards workers will result in future compensation claims.”

A further 80 per cent feel anxious about staff wellbeing while two thirds are worried their company might fail a health and safety audit conducted by the relevant regulator.

CCTV vision of a brawl at a Woolworth store in December 2023. Aggression towards retail workers has risen over the past decade. Picture: Supplied

Australian Retailers Association adviser Amy Towers, also founder of workplace consultancy The Risk Collective, said aggression towards retail workers had always existed but had risen over the past decade.

“We certainly saw through Covid the rise of impatience and more irritable people with really high standards of customer service,” she said.

“What we saw in the retail and hospitality sector was just because of the increased rules, people became less tolerant and decided to act out.”

Polling of 337 human resource leaders found 84 per cent believed aggressive customer behaviour was an issue for frontline staff. Picture: Supplied

The YouGov polling of 337 human resource leaders found 84 per cent believed aggressive customer behaviour was an issue for frontline staff while 82 per cent agreed there was a need for better and/or more customer behaviour training.

About 70 per cent said they would be willing to invest more in customer behaviour training in a bid to avoid workers compensation claims, a health and safety regulator audit or to reduce staff turnover and onboarding costs.

Safe Work Australia has reported a 56 per cent increase in serious complaints relating to workplace aggression and violence.

Originally published as Safe Work Australia: 56pc increase in serious complaints relating to workplace aggression and violence