How Retailers Can Keep Employees Safe During the Holidays and Beyond

Ed note: Posts published on From the Workplace are written by outside contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view or opinion of SHRM.

The holiday season is a monumental time for the retail industry. It brings festive decorations and holiday cheer, as well as significantly higher store foot traffic compared to other months of the year. Retailers brace for this busy season annually, but what can be often overlooked is the challenges and stressors that high customer traffic may bring to employees, including a higher risk of workplace violence and harassment.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2 million U.S. workers experience workplace violence annually, and retail employees especially experience some of the most harmful scenarios due to frequent public interactions, high-traffic environments, and high turnover rates. While workplace safety should always be a priority, the holiday season underscores the need for comprehensive safety plans and training.

The Growing Demand for Safer Workplaces

In a world where news of violence is a daily occurrence, the demand for workplace violence prevention policies is escalating globally. While some regions have begun to address these concerns, such as California with its Workplace Violence Prevention Plan law and New York with the Retail Worker Safety Act, there is still a great deal of work that needs to be done to keep employees safe while at work.

Unfortunately, there is no shortage of workplace violence incidents, which was proven by a recent survey of over 500 full-time U.S. retail workers. The report found that Gen Z retail workers particularly are witnessing higher rates of workplace violence compared to older generations.

Despite receiving the highest rates of workplace violence prevention training, this generation also has the lowest confidence in their ability to de-escalate violent situations. This shows a significant gap in the effectiveness of retailers’ training programs today and the readiness that employees feel when actually faced with an unsafe situation.

Furthermore, the study found that almost all retail workers (94%) believe similar policies should be adopted nationwide, signaling there is a strong demand for more workplace violence policies and programs globally. While it’s certainly up to state and local governments to formally enact workplace violence laws, there are still meaningful steps that retailers can take to better enforce employee safety.

Proactively Establish Prevention Programs and Policies—Regardless of Legislation

Employers don’t need to wait for state legislation to implement workplace violence prevention measures. Because both California and New York have passed workplace violence prevention requirements, other states (or employers) have models they can follow.

New York’s Retail Worker Safety Act, for example, requires the adoption and implementation of a workplace violence prevention policy, annual workplace violence prevention training for employees, and the creation of a panic button system employees can use to trigger an alert if they believe they or a colleague is in an unsafe situation. Retail employers that adopt this approach—even without a formal state law in their respective state—would be making proactive and positive strides towards safer workplaces.

Upgrade Training Programs to be Customized and Realistic

Prevention policies should always include robust training programs; even a well-crafted policy means very little if employees don’t understand it. The overall object of these programs is to teach employees how to recognize early warning signs of violence, report concerns, de-escalate potentially dangerous situations, and protect themselves in the event of a workplace violence emergency.

For the retail industry specifically, it’s important to recognize that it has a greater customer presence and oftentimes younger employees who are digital natives and value authenticity and relevance. This means training programs need to be tailored to real-world retail scenarios to be successful as generic content will likely fail to resonate. Some examples of retail-specific training can include role-playing exercises and interactive in-store scenarios that reflect everyday situations or challenges that employees may face. Additionally, leveraging digital tools and platforms that cater to Gen Z’s comfort with technology will enhance engagement and knowledge retention, and ultimately make them feel more prepared to handle unsafe situations.

Foster a Speak-Up Culture

Nearly half of Gen Z retail workers surveyed said they would only report safety concerns if they could do so anonymously, emphasizing the need for employers to instill confidence that reports of violence or misconduct will be taken seriously. It’s also important to note that Gen Z workers, being newer to the workplace, often lack the experience to gauge how their concerns will be handled.

Employers can foster trust by implementing anonymous reporting channels when possible as well as ensuring regular communication about workplace safety. Managers should engage with teams to discuss recent incidents, share how the organization is addressing safety concerns, and reinforce that employee feedback leads to meaningful action.

Retail employees face unique risks because their workplaces are open to the public—a factor employers cannot change. However, by recognizing the growing demand for safer workplaces and addressing it with proactive policies, tailored training, and supportive cultures, retailers can significantly enhance employee safety.

Prioritizing workplace safety is not just a seasonal need but a year-round imperative. By taking these steps, retailers can protect their most valuable assets—their employees—while fostering a safer, more supportive work environment.

Bailey Whitsitt is compliance counsel at Traliant, previously practiced labor and employment law at firms including Taft Stettinius & Hollister and Clark Hill Law, and graduated from Iowa State University and Loyola University Chicago School of Law.