I am continually inspired by the dedication and resilience of our Service Nation, and by the businesses and individuals we at The Institute are privileged to support.
For this reason, it is deeply concerning to see abuse towards service workers continue to rise – affecting the 60% of the workforce that these valued workers represent.
This abuse of public-facing workers is a serious societal issue, and one I have raised in my weekly statements. However, the situation is unfortunately worsening, so I feel compelled to keep this front and centre. We all have our part to play in reversing this trend – as consumers, business leaders and parliamentarians alike.
The Government’s proposal to make assaulting a retail worker a criminal offence through the Crime and Policing Bill is a welcome step in the right direction and will help to protect a huge number of workers across the UK.
But there is also an opportunity to go further, by making the abuse of public-facing workers in every sector a standalone offence.
Our data highlights a growing issue
From call centres to public transport professionals, infrastructure and financial services workers, abuse is widespread and worsening across all sectors in the UK.
Our research has found that 43% of customer-facing workers have experienced an incident of customer hostility. This is almost a 20% rise from last year.
Alarmingly, this hostility doesn’t stop at verbal abuse either. The number of workers also facing threats of physical violence has reached 21% – the highest level ever recorded.
It is understandable that 70% of employees working directly with customers – alongside many business leaders and parliamentarians – support a change in the law to cover every sector.
Addressing the issue is fundamental to social and economic prosperity
This level of abuse also poses a significant threat to the mental and physical wellbeing of our staff.
And many organisations recognise this as a problem: 37% of customer service workers are considering leaving their jobs due to aggressive customer behaviour, while 26% of those who have suffered abuse have taken time off work as a result – on average, eight days’ sick leave.
High staff turnover and low morale driven by such hostility can create a vicious cycle, where workers feel unable to return to work or cannot carry out their roles effectively, therefore impacting customer satisfaction, spending behaviours, and economic stability.
When we consider services drive 80% of UK GDP, there is a clear incentive for change.
The Institute has penned an open letter calling for stronger protections for all service workers, in all sectors, through a change in the law. With close to 100 signatories, together we have the potential make a genuine difference.
But our work doesn’t stop here. We remain committed to driving up both higher levels of customer service in the UK and protecting customer service workers, through our Service with Respect campaign.
With your continued support, I am confident we can achieve positive and meaningful change – protecting our people, strengthening our service capabilities, and securing a more sustainable future for the economy.
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