Retail is an industry known for its forward-facing roles – from the cliched ‘would you like fries with that?’ of the fast-food industry to the high-end sales assistants trained in the art of customer service and upselling.

But customer-facing retail workers also bear the brunt of people at their worst and as we approach the busiest retail season, reports of hostility from customers typically increase. Whether it’s a customer who’s taking out their stress on an unsuspecting employee, consistently impolite interactions, or the extremes of physical threats and intimidation, people in these roles don’t have the option of working from home.

As frontline workers shoulder the impact of wider societal stress and pressure, many retail employees are struggling to cope. Research from the Australian Retailers Association last year found that more than three-quarters of retail workers had experienced stress, anxiety or depression in the previous four weeks. And retail is the fourth-highest industry lodging Workers Compensation Claims for mental health according to Safe Work Australia.

The retail frontline can be a confronting environment, with our State of the Nation 2023 report showing that 1 in 4 employees in customer-facing roles have experienced customer aggression at least weekly. 40% of those working in retail, healthcare and social assistance said they did not receive any support after aggression, which is lower than the baseline across industries, where 29% said they did not receive any support after aggression.

This support is essential, which is why major retailers including Woolworths, Best & Less and Big W have adopted our platform so that these challenges can be addressed and acted upon. With a focus on wellbeing, personal safety and health, we’re providing a support system that ensures retail frontline workers can cope with the pressures of their job, with round-the-clock assistance when it’s needed.  

This includes access to telehealth services, allowing workers to consult with healthcare professionals without the added stress of scheduling and attending in-person appointments. We understand that time is a precious commodity for those in the retail sector, and our telehealth services are designed to fit seamlessly into their demanding schedules.

In addition to medical support, our platform places a significant emphasis on mental health and wellbeing. We offer a range of resources, from counselling services to mindfulness and stress management workshops and a network of self-help resources. 

For example, we recently had a 17-year-old worker who accessed our supportive counselling, presenting issues including poor self-esteem, social anxiety and loneliness. Through counselling, they were able to identify a goal of starting a team sport, which will in turn increase their confidence and expand their social network. This kind of non-judgmental support means we can guide workers to achieve their wellbeing goals. It’s not just a reactive service for crisis, it can also be about personal development for workers, making them feel valued and cared for by their employer and going a long way to creating psychologically and physically safe work environments. 

Personal safety is another critical aspect of our support system. Frontline workers often find themselves in volatile situations, whether dealing with aggressive customers, working in isolated environments or travelling to and from late-night and early-morning shifts. Automating worker check-ins and safety support is essential for these workers, especially in the busy pre-Christmas period. 

As Fadia Nassif, Best&Less WHS and Injury Manager notes: “Sonder has become an essential toolkit for keeping our Best&Less ‘Besties’ safe and well, not only in the workplace but also at home. The personal safety tools such as smart check-ins and journey tracking are particularly vital for our frontline workers, especially given the rise in anti-social behaviour. We strongly encourage our Besties to utilise these functions when travelling to and from work.”

The safety and support of frontline retail workers is essential – employees have a duty of care to their people, and as a society we rely on these workers for our essential goods and services. What will you do to keep your people safe and well? 

Kimi Powell is director of clinical services at workplace health, safety and risk tech company, Sonder.