Any organisation with customer, client, passenger, patient or service-user interaction faces exposure to third-party behaviour that can escalate into harassment, aggression or harm. And the legal expectations on employers are increasing, meaning this seasonal news cycle should prompt action across all sectors, not just in shops.
UK law already places a clear duty on employers to protect staff from work-related risks, including abuse and violence. That duty was sharpened through changes in October 2024, including the preventative requirement introduced under the Equality Act 2010, and is planned to tighten further with the Employments Rights Bill.
It means employers are expected to take reasonable, proactive steps to prevent harassment – including harassment by third parties. The emphasis has shifted from responding after harm occurs, to demonstrating what was done to stop it happening in the first place under the ‘duty to prevent’ guidelines.
The retail sector’s seasonal challenges highlight just how real these risks are and why “we didn’t know” is no longer a credible defence.
Every industry has its busy season; Christmas for retail, winter for healthcare, year-end filing deadlines for finance, tourism seasons for hospitality and transport. When demand spikes, so does emotional pressure and for customer-facing staff, that can translate into hostility, aggression or abuse.
The surge in retail incidents each December serves as a visible case study: where there are predictable peaks, there are predictable risks. Employers who anticipate them are the ones best placed to protect their people.
Here are our suggested organisation-level actions that not only apply to retailers at Christmas but apply far wider than the shop floor:
Have clear, communicated policies and posters stating that abuse or harassment from customers or third parties will not be accepted. This isn’t a “nice to have” – it’s a vital part of meeting legal duties and setting cultural expectations.
Think about your interaction points – for example, reception desks, call centres, site visits, service counters and complaint handling departments. Where could tensions escalate? How can you reduce that risk?
Train people on recognising discrimination and harassment, safely de-escalating or withdrawing from unsafe interactions, and reporting incidents, knowing senior leadership will back them. Confidence must sit at every level, not just within HR.
If staff don’t trust the reporting process, they won’t use it. Create simple routes for incident reporting, review patterns, intervene early and make sure staff know action will be taken.
Treat seasonal pressure points as risk events:
Aside from legal compliance, this is fundamentally about employee wellbeing, morale, retention, organisational reputation, trust and responsible leadership.
Ignoring third-party abuse undermines safety, damages culture and leaves organisations exposed to regulatory and tribunal risk, particularly under the preventative duty to protect workers.
For many organisations, knowing what to do is one thing, but knowing how to do it well is another.
That’s where we can support you by helping you to:
Whether you need a one-off review, advisory support or ongoing HR partnership, we work alongside leadership teams to ensure they are equipped, compliant and confident in protecting their people.
Christmas may shine a harsh light on the retail experience, but it also provides a useful mirror for every employer dealing with public interaction.
The message is clear:
The organisations that respond proactively, not reactively, will build safer workplaces, stronger cultures and more resilient teams.
If you would like support reviewing your approach or strengthening your policies, training or processes, Metro HR are here to help – get in touch to start the conversation.
Oh, and don’t forget, be kind, it is Christmas after all! We could all do with a bit of Christmas cheer.
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