‘Abuse’: Gender workplace trend erupts

A new gender workplace trend has erupted, and for once, it isn’t about women being paid less; nope, it is far more unexpected.

A new gender workplace trend has erupted, and for once, it isn’t about women being paid less.

Twice as many young women than men are quitting their jobs because of the abuse they cop from customers, alarming new research by digital youth engagement platform Year13 has found.

Women are also significantly more likely to leave their work due to stress.

“It’s shocking to see one in eight teenage girls and young women report that they’ve

been driven out of a job due to customer abuse,” Year13 co-founder Saxon Phipps told news.com.au.

Year13 co-founder Saxon Phipps said one in eight teenage girls and young women report that they’ve been driven out of a job due to customer abuse. Picture: Supplied

“It’s an important reminder to be on the lookout for young workers this summer, many who are inexperienced and don’t easily forget these instances of abuse they suffer,” Mr Phipps said.

While almost 75 per cent of those surveyed said they got their first casual job so they could have financial independence, almost one is five said it was to help their family with living expenses.

Two in five young Aussies scored a job with a large supermarket or fast-food chain, while 36 per cent said their first paying gig was at a cafe or pub.

But it’s these customer-facing roles that are leaving young workers exposed to threats and abuse.

Coffs Harbour local Maddy, 19, said she recently left a job at a cafe chain because she was fed up with the treatment she received.

“Customers would become very upset about the cost of our products, would not even look or speak to me directly when I was taking their order, and I was subjected to verbal abuse and condescending behaviour,” she said.

“This job gave me a lot of experience with people but the stress and anxiety it caused every day was certainly something I’d never want to experience again.”

Vonnie, 21, left jobs before because of poor communication. Picture: Supplied

Ellie Kate quit her recruitment job because she was done with the stress. Picture: Instagram/EllieKate

Brisbane woman Zarah told Year13 she regularly faced abuse from customers while working in retail.

“It’s like they (customers) think because we look young we are easy to manipulate and

harass,” she said.
“But comparing 18+ women and men, I don’t think I ever heard of or saw the older

guys being subject to harassment, it felt like all customers respected them.

“So it was definitely more female orientated. But for under 18’s it was pretty even ground unfortunately. It’s like the younger the person is the meaner they are for some reason.”

It’s not just abuse forcing young women to quit, with Vonnie, 21, telling news.com.au she’s left multiple jobs for various reasons including “poor communication” and travel.

“I worked as a disability support worker. The commute was too far for a job that wasn’t that rewarding,” the Melbourne woman said.

“I worked with a company that was very poor with communication and weren’t able to accommodate what I was asking for,” she said.

“I have also had a couple jobs where the turnover was so high and quick that I became a supervisor within a few months because the environment was so toxic”.

She’s now working as a barista at a cafe and is much happier.

Kelsie Grace quit her marketing job because she was “burnt out”. Picture: Instagram/KelsieGrace

Ellie Kate, 22, revealed to news.com.au in May she’d quit her recruitment job because she was done with the stress.

“I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. I put so much pressure on myself,” she said.

Ms Kate was even running the business, but she found she spent too much time thinking about work and trying to find ways to make more money.

To elevate the stress she too now is working as a barista.

“I can come home, I’ve earned my money for the day, and so I can do other fun things ... and I don’t feel guilty about it,” she said.

Similarly Kelsie Grace was climbing the corporate ladder when she decided to jump off and spend all her savings on opening a bar.

The 25-year-old had worked in marketing for five years and even relocated to Melbourne to pursue her career, but after returning from a holiday, she realised she needed a change because she had “burnt out.”

“I think for everyone in corporate jobs there’s always this thing you’d rather be doing,” she told news.com.au.

Recruitment expert Roxanne Calder said men are “better at winging it”. Picture: Supplied

Recruitment expert Roxanne Calder said she’s noticed women quitting at a “higher rate” than men and believes it stems from women lacking confidence.

“Men are better at winging it,” Ms Calder said.

She said women are more likely to resist negative feedback, struggle to regain confidence after mistakes, and are even less likely to apply for jobs in the first place because they don’t feel qualified.

She said while men will see a job advertisement and think ‘I can do most of that’, and therefore give it a crack, women won’t even apply.

“Women will say they aren’t sure they can do it,” she said.

Originally published as ‘Abuse’: Gender workplace trend erupts