Social protection:
Violence and stress at the workplace

Violence to commerce workers is a serious problem for staff and their families, but also for employers. In stores where the problem is not addressed staff morale is low, sickness absence is high and the industry risks losing skilled and experienced workers.

Surveys in the United Kingdom (one of the countries in which substantial research on this topic has been carried out) indicate that shop assistants are among the workers most vulnerable to occupational violence. Crime also causes further problems for retailers, because of increased insurance premiums and greater staff turnover. The social partners in commerce also recognize that retail crime, violence and abuse contribute to a deteriorating shopping environment for the consumers. Not surprisingly, in Europe this issue has been placed very high on the sectoral social partners’ agenda, with EuroCommerce and UNI-Europa Commerce adopting a joint statement in 2006 to promote a safer working and shopping environment.