Frontline retail workers in the UK say they’re having to cut corners and risk their safety to meet the demands of the job, prompting calls for employers to provide extra support.
More than half of the nation’s frontline retail workers (56%) have admitted to cutting corners on the shop floor or in the stockroom, in a survey by global technology company SafetyCulture. The majority (53%) also said they’d risked their own health and safety at work.
Respondents to SafetyCulture’s survey said they cut corners because they were under pressure to meet targets, were often understaffed, and poorly equipped.
The research further reveals a gap in trust, as one in five (20%) say they reported a near miss to their employer, but it wasn’t taken seriously. Another 14% who saw a near miss didn’t report it as they thought their employer wouldn’t take it seriously.
The findings come ahead of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work on Sunday 28th April, which is run annually by the UN’s International Labour Organisation.
Alex Brooks-Sykes, SafetyCulture’s lead for UK & Ireland, said: “We know that retail workers spin a lot of plates at the same time, from restocking to loss prevention, all the while being customer-facing and trying to hit sales targets. It seems in their efforts to do a great job and provide an excellent customer experience, retail workers are putting themselves at risk.
“Communication is key. Management should maintain an open dialogue with staff on the shop floor and take reports seriously, especially as the technology exists to react in real-time and minimise disruption.”
On top of pressures in the workplace, retail staff are feeling stretched and stressed by external disruption. Four of the top five disruptions to the UK’s retail workforce in the past 12 months are weather related, with hot temperatures, icy weather, floods and storms all preventing staff from doing their job.
These external factors impact productivity. Half (52%) of workers said they arrived late and a fifth (20%) were unable to leave home at some point last year due to disruptions, meaning they couldn’t do their job at all.
Another concern for retail businesses is that nearly a third of workers (30%) reported feeling physically or mentally unwell as a result of disruption.
With the Met Office forecasting 2024 will be another record-breaking year for hot temperatures in Britain, SafetyCulture suggests employers can do more to support retail workers dealing with the consequences.
Alex added: “The British have a reputation for grumbling about the weather, but for retail workers it can stop a good day’s work and even impact their safety. Staff absences and disruption are also bad for retailers forced to continually juggle resources, and is another drag on the nation’s productivity. With extreme weather events expected to continue this year and beyond, now is the time for businesses to best prepare their teams.”
