More than four in ten retail workers in the US say they are likely to leave their current job in the next 12 months due to personal safety concerns, according to research conducted by the Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC) and Verkada.

LPRC and Verkada’s ‘State of Retail Safety Report’ reveals the challenges facing retail workers and offers a blueprint for employers tasked with addressing them.

The study’s statistics

Safety concerns are widespread and workers report their authority members aren’t taking action:

• 27% retail workers reported feeling unsafe at work.
• 54% of retail workers experienced customer aggression or harassment
• 22% retail workers say their workplace has minimal to no security
• 62% say that their company hasn’t changed the level of security measures in the last 12 months

These threats have a ripple effect on retention and hiring:

• Nearly 20% percent of retail workers report they have considered looking for a new job due to personal safety concerns
• 40% report they are likely to leave their current job in the next 12 months due to personal safety concerns
• 37% of store managers agree that concerns about safety are a barrier to hiring

Retail workers believe better security would help:

• 71% retail workers who have experienced some type of violence at work say they would feel safer with enhanced security measures
• 77% say theft, 76% say robbery and 61% say that physical assaults could have been prevented had there been better security in place

But just increasing security isn’t enough:

• Retail workers also need better mechanisms to report these threats to law enforcement
• Only 52% of respondents always report violent incidents to police/law enforcement
• Only 44% of the respondents would report to the police or law enforcement when witnessing a co-worker experiencing physical violence

“A sobering snapshot of that reality”

Read Hayes (Ph.D.), Executive Director, Loss Prevention Research Council commented: “Retail is a cornerstone of the economy, supporting one in four American jobs.

“The unfortunate reality is that today, retail workers are being asked to shoulder unacceptable risks every time they clock into work.

“This research provides a sobering snapshot of that reality and builds on the Loss Prevention Research Council’s ongoing work to provide a roadmap for how retailers can better protect their employees and merchandise and importantly, create safer work environments,” concluded Hayes.

“Valued, protected and heard”

Alana O’Grady Lauk, Vice President of Public Affairs, Verkada said: “Safety is a fundamental right and we have a responsibility to protect the 55 million Americans who work in retail.

“This study underscores the importance of not only investing in security infrastructure but also creating a culture where retail workers feel valued, protected and heard.”

To read more on the full report, please click here.