Safe shops, strong teams: How retailers can protect staff from abuse and harassment

By Nathan Peacey, Head of Retail & Consumer at Foot Anstey

Amid the shocking headlines surrounding retail crime, abuse of workers and harassment by colleagues, recent research from Foot Anstey’s Harassment in Retail 2025 report reveals a welcome shift: staff are starting to feel safer, more supported and more confident that their employers are taking harassment seriously.

The report shows a sharp fall in the proportion of retail workers who say their employer lacks adequate HR protocols to deal with inappropriate behaviour – down from 41 percent in 2021 (and 42 percent in 2023) to 27 percent in 2025. Likewise, the number who believe their employer “doesn’t care” about protecting staff has dropped from around 35 percent to 24 percent.

These are encouraging signs that sustained investment in people and processes is paying off. But there’s still work to do – with more than a quarter of retail workers still experiencing some form of aggressive or abusive behaviour at work.

From reactive to proactive protection

Since October 2024, employers have been legally required to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment, a duty that may soon be extended to cover all forms of harassment under the forthcoming Employment Rights Bill. Employers of course have existing duties under H&S legislation. Crucially, these existing duties are anticipatory – meaning employers must foresee potential risks and act before incidents occur.

Retailers should conduct risk assessments, consult with frontline staff and adapt store layouts or staffing patterns to reduce exposure to conflict. Prevention must become an embedded part of operations, not an afterthought.

Strengthen HR systems and staff confidence

Foot Anstey’s research shows that investment in HR resources directly improves how safe employees feel. Retailers should review policies regularly to ensure they are clear, accessible and widely understood.

Training should go beyond compliance, using real-world scenarios to help staff recognise, report and respond to harassment. Named ‘safe contacts’ or champions within stores can help build trust and encourage staff to speak up, while visible follow-through on complaints reinforces confidence in the system.

Embrace technology and data

Technology can transform staff safety. Body-worn cameras, improved CCTV coverage and facial-recognition technology are already helping many retailers deter abuse and gather evidence for prosecution. Combined with data analytics from incident logs, these tools allow businesses to spot trends, identify repeat offenders and direct security resources where they are most needed.

Build a supportive culture

Culture change is key to prevention. Internal campaigns, posters and team briefings can keep the message front of mind: harassment and abuse will not be tolerated. Engaging with the Retail Trust’s #Let’sRespectRetail sends a strong message to customers and colleagues alike.

Training staff in bystander intervention promotes shared responsibility, while aftercare such as counselling or debriefs ensures affected employees feel genuinely supported.

Lead from the top and keep measuring

Real change starts with C-suite leadership. When leadership ensures safety, HR and commercial goals align, protecting staff becomes part of brand identity, not just compliance. Prioritising wellbeing isn’t only ethical – it’s smart business.

Partnerships matter too. Working closely with police, security providers and local agencies strengthens intelligence and response. And with the new Crime and Policing Bill introducing an offence for assaulting a retail worker, the message is clear: abuse won’t be tolerated.

But legislation alone won’t fix it. Retailers must keep measuring progress through staff feedback and incident data. As Foot Anstey’s research shows, what gets measured gets better.

Safer shops mean stronger teams – and every retail worker deserves to feel safe, valued and heard.

Image courtesy of Unsplash. Photo credit: Vitaly Gariev.