Retail

Violence and abuse towards retail and hospitality workers has risen sharply since the pandemic, with 70% of retailers now identifying it as one of the biggest threats facing their business.

Too often, conflict and abuse are seen as ‘just part of the job’, with employees expected to rely on instinct or life experience to manage difficult situations. The reality is that many people have never been given the confidence, communication skills or support needed to safely de-escalate conflict.

The impact goes far beyond the moment itself. Abuse and aggression can have a serious effect on both physical safety and mental wellbeing, contributing to stress-related absence, burnout and employees leaving the sector altogether.

At the same time, whilst many organisations now provide wellbeing support through Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) and other services, these are often accessed only once issues have escalated. Support being available does not always mean people feel confident enough to use it.

That’s why we believe workplace wellbeing training and conflict management should go hand in hand. We help organisations take a more proactive approach by building manager confidence to spot concerns early, encourage supportive conversations and create cultures where wellbeing support is genuinely usable.

Our training uniquely joins the dots between conflict and wellbeing because conflict affects wellbeing, but wellbeing can also influence how people respond to conflict.