Younger retail workers facing a mental health crisis according to new report

The Retail Trust Health of Retail Report, produced in partnership with Peoplesafe, summarises the key insights that retail people leaders need to know. One standout section in the 2024 report highlighted concerning stats around the mindset of younger employees.

Retail is the single biggest employer for 22-to-29-year-olds, according to latest Office for National Statistics data. Retail is also the first paid job for many young people in the UK, with many businesses in the sector finding themselves increasingly reliant on this invaluable workforce.

A younger generation of retail workers is suffering with their mental health - unsurprising given the rise in aggression and intimidation on our high streets, with Retail Trust research painting a concerning picture of how this might increasingly impact the sector.

• 80% of shop workers and 90% of store managers have faced abusive incidents at work, with 98% verbally abused, a third (33%) threatened with violence, 14% physically assaulted and 10% spat on. One in three experience this weekly.
• Younger retail workers (16 to 27) are the most likely to have suffered a deterioration in their mental wellbeing in the last year, with 82% of Gen Z saying they have, compared to 79% of Millennials (aged 28-43), 76% of Gen X (aged 44- 59) and 74% of over 60s.
• Younger retail workers are more likely to miss work because of their mental health. 29% of Gen Z miss work because of their mental health. This is almost double the percentage of Millennials (18%), Gen X (14%) and the over 60s (16%).
• 24% of Gen Z said they are content in their current role, but still always looking for a better job. This drops to 17% amongst Millennials, 12% for Gen X and to just 6% for the over 60s.

The report also revealed that people leaders across retail admit to feeling somewhat helpless to support the wellbeing of their colleagues as incidents of customer abuse continue to grow. Many have subsequently increased investment in CCTV, body worn cameras, headsets and panic buttons - with supporting data from the British Retail Consortium that shows retailer spending on safety measures has almost doubled in the last year, from £722m to £1.2bn.

However, with 75% of retail staff still concerned about facing aggression2, it is obvious that more must be done to tackle the issue of individual worker safety – particularly the safety of our younger, less-experienced employees.

Peoplesafe research 2 suggests that personal safety both at work and on the journey to and from work is one crucial factor still not being addressed. Employer responsibility does not currently extend to the commute, yet for younger retail workers travelling to work in uniform, or into and out of areas with ongoing issues, 24/7 protection is more essential than ever.

Personal safety tech is an immediate, effective and low-cost remedy to the issue of personal safety and providing it as standard best practice safety provision will only make retail a more considered choice for school leavers and university students alike.

72% of retail businesses say they have experienced recruitment challenges

While the future of young people in retail and the funnel of upcoming leadership candidates is affected by a range of internal and external factors, failure to comprehensively address personal safety concerns continues to be a major issue adding to a ticking time bomb of recruitment issues.

Katherine Stewart, Group Health and Safety Manager at High Street retailer, New Look, says: “At New Look, ensuring the safety of our employees has always been a top priority and in the current climate, it’s even more important that we do everything we can to keep them safe. We tick all the traditional in-store safety boxes where needed - CCTVC, security guards, personal safety devices, training – but it has become increasingly apparent that the need to protect our people doesn’t stop at our shop doors.

“We want all staff to feel and be as safe as possible, at all times. Not just during working hours, but also when they are making their way to and from work, using public transport or walking on their own. The Peoplesafe app provides this additional layer of safety and reassurance, and we are now offering it to our New Look employees who may have personal safety concerns outside of our premises which are causing them anxiety or causing them to reconsider a career in retail.”

Chris Brook-Carter, Chief Executive of the Retail Trust, says: “Retail has got a fantastic track record of people moving from the shop floor to the boardroom of the very biggest retailers in the country, so we are concerned that the industry’s reputation as a great place to begin or build a career could now be under threat.

“But that’s why we’re inspired by the employers we’re working with who are making efforts to protect the safety and wellbeing of their people, including using data to better understand how their workforces are feeling and ensuring the right support and training is in place. They are not only creating happier and healthier retail workplaces but also more sustainable and successful futures for their businesses and the retail industry as a whole.”

Naz Dossa, CEO at Peoplesafe comments: “In today’s climate of rising aggression and violence towards retail staff, alongside the associated recruitment and retention challenges, employers are under increasing pressure to protect their people, especially younger employees. A young worker just out of school or university will have very different needs and experience to an employee who is years into their career. This particularly vulnerable section of the workforce must be made to feel safe from home to store, not just during working hours.

“Personal safety tech must become part of the employee benefit package. Aside from the duty of care all employers have, this kind of tangible safety benefit will help an employer to recruit, particularly where salary bands cannot flex.”

[1] Retail Week 2021

2 https://peoplesafe.co.uk/whitepapers/overcoming-the-employee-safety-gap/

The Retail Trust is running free training sessions online and in London from 12 to 14 November, to arm hundreds of shop staff with new skills to manage challenging in-store situations this Christmas and deal with any difficult experiences. Retail workers can apply to take part by visiting http://www.retailtrust.org.uk/respect