Almost half of Gen Z retail workers would only report workplace violence if they could do so anonymously

e-Learning, Training and DevelopmentHR TechnologyNews

By GlobeNewswire On Nov 14, 2024

A new report from Traliant uncovers generational differences in workplace violence prevention training and reporting

Traliant, a leader in online compliance training, today announced its new study, “The Retail Report: Traliant’s 2024 Workplace Violence Prevention Pulse Survey.” Based on a survey of over 500 full-time U.S. retail employees, the report looks at how retail workers feel about their safety at work and how their employers are approaching workplace violence prevention. Most notably, the survey revealed some alarming variances in how different generations feel towards reporting unsafe situations – almost half (49%) of Gen Z retail workers said they would only report a scenario where they feared for their own or a coworker’s safety if they could do so anonymously, compared to only 19% of Baby Boomers.

Workplace violence continues to pose a major threat to employees across industries. Federal and state governments are starting to take action, most recently with New York signing the Retail Worker Safety Act, requiring employers with more than ten retail employees in the state to implement a workplace violence prevention policy and conduct the initial round of annual workplace violence prevention training by March 2025.

“The retail industry is a challenging space as employees are at higher risk for workplace violence and employers have a growing list of requirements to contend with when it comes to keeping their workers safe,” said Michael Johnson, Chief Strategy Officer at Traliant. “Our study identifies critical areas where retailers need to understand generational differences in the workforce so they can enhance workplace violence prevention programs and create safer work environments.”

The report uncovered several other alarming realities of workplace violence training and reporting among retail workers including:

More than a third (38%) of Gen Z retail workers have witnessed workplace violence happening to another employee in the last five years compared to 13% of Baby Boomers, 20% of Gen X, and 22% of Millennials.
78% of Baby Boomers said they would report a scenario where they feared for their own or a coworker’s safety without being anonymous, while Gen Z was less willing, with only 42% saying they would attach their name to a report.
Only 38% of retail workers feel their employers are extremely supportive in promoting a speak-up culture, where employees can report misconduct without fear of retaliation.
Almost all retail workers (94%) agree that other states should adopt policies similar to New York’s Retail Worker Safety Act.

Bailey Whitsitt, Compliance Counsel at Traliant, added, “With the state-led momentum we’re seeing for workplace violence prevention legislation, the expectation for other U.S. states to follow is no longer an “if” but a “when.” Prevention training is a core tenant of a strong workplace violence prevention strategy that not only helps retailers stay ahead of potential legal requirements but creates safer workplaces by educating employees on critical awareness topics and skills to navigate challenging situations in their everyday roles.”

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