It’s not just those in retail who find themselves falling victim to abuse from customers, with a total of 739,000 threats or assaults at work – across all sectors – reported between 2018 and 2019. As an employer, you have a duty of responsibility to protect your staff, not just for the benefit of your employees but for the sake of your business too.
With that in mind, here are our top tips for deterring abuse towards your workers if they are customer-facing.
One of the most efficient ways to deter abuse and stop people from offending is to install a visible CCTV system. This means putting in place a high-quality CCTV system while making sure the cameras are on show and positioned correctly so they capture any incidents clearly. Remember, this footage could be used as evidence, so making sure the images are crisp and of high quality is essential.
It’s also worth putting up signs around your business – making sure they are visible to customers – which state that CCTV is in place. Not only will this act as an additional deterrent but it’s also good for data protection purposes.
To give your staff that extra peace of mind, you might want to consider introducing body-worn cameras. These are becoming more and more popular within customer-facing industries and it’s easy to see why.
Body-worn cameras give staff the opportunity to record at the push of a button if they feel threatened or find themselves in confrontational incidents. The camera will not only deter abuse but any footage captured can be used as future evidence if necessary – not only against the offender but if your staff need proof of what happened too.
Depending on what body-worn camera you choose, you might be able to link them up to your main CCTV system and better still, allow notifications or alerts to be sent to colleagues, so they can intervene if necessary.
Add an extra level of security and a further deterrent by employing a uniformed manned guard at your premises. Whether you choose to work with a static guard, a mobile guard or a doorman, all of these will serve a similar purpose when it comes to deterring potential abuse.
Offenders being able to see that you have that extra level of security – and professional security personnel – will not only show you, as an employee, are serious about protecting your staff but will also undoubtedly put a person off abusing your customer-facing workers.
Potential abuse towards your staff can be worrying for both business owners and their employees alike. However, like with all security concerns, the team at Stonewall Security can help find you a suitable fix.
We create effective security packages tailored to each individual client. Our team of experts will help you introduce a number of security solutions shaped around your individual needs. Get in touch with our professional security specialists today.
