A whopping 83% of retail workers in Ireland have experienced incidents of harassment at work, while more than two-thirds (68%) experience incidents at least once a month.
Notably for the retail sector, of those who have experienced incidents of harassment, 70% of workers admit that their experiences of harassment from customers has made them consider seeking employment outside of retail.
The research commissioned by Circle K, surveyed 380 staff working at its locations in Ireland and 500 people employed across a broad range of retail settings in Ireland.
Physical assault is a serious issue with 50% of retail workers having witnessed a colleague being physically assaulted by a customer.
Meanwhile, over four in five Circle K employees (83%) report witnessing customers verbally abuse colleagues.
Another 69% of Circle K retail employees report that they have seen fellow colleagues experience inappropriate behaviour, such as verbal abuse, when dealing with customers.
Almost a third of retail workers (28%) and almost a fifth of Circle K retail employees (18%) say the harassment they have experienced from customers was based on gender. A further 34% of Circle K retail employees say they have experienced incidents of harassment based on race.
Commenting on the research findings, Gordon Lawlor, Managing Director of Circle K Ireland, said, “As Ireland’s largest forecourt and convenience retailer, we have seen this issue develop first-hand and while the vast majority of our customers behave appropriately, we are increasingly seeing incidents of unacceptable behaviour by certain customers towards our colleagues. Our research clearly demonstrates that this issue is not just confined to Circle K and is a challenge for the wider retail sector at large.”
“As a company, we care about our colleagues and are committed to creating an environment where they are treated correctly. Being kind and respectful towards workers in retail settings should be the norm and, in our society, we really should not have to remind people of the need to behave in the right way.”
“At Circle K, we serve over 1 million customers each week across our company owned network and employ over 2,000 people, many of whom work across our retail locations. Overall, the retail sector is a critical part of the Irish economy and crucial to how our society functions. Almost three years ago, we found ourselves in a grip of a global pandemic where the retail sector demonstrated its importance and played a key role in keeping the country moving. It is crucial that we recognise this vital role and encourage good behaviour by all customers towards those working in retail settings.”
Director of Retail Ireland Arnold Dillon said, “The level of harassment toward retail staff is an enormous concern. The survey highlighted some very serious issues, including incidence of physical assault and verbal abuse, that retail workers have had to contend with. The consequences for staff are very real, including mental health issues, burnout and increased absence. At a time when there are labour shortages in many parts of the sector, it’s important that everything is done to make the sector an attractive place to work. We all have a part to play in supporting retail employees and together reducing the levels of harassment.”
In response to the survey findings, and in line with Circle K Kindness Day on 25th January, Circle K has launched a new initiative encouraging the public to consider the impact that their behaviour has on retail workers and to always treat them with kindness.
