The Growing Concern of Workplace Safety
Recent findings from well-known retailer Circle K revealed that a staggering 83% of retail workers have faced some form of customer abuse in the workplace. Another recent survey from the retail group RGDATA found similar levels of workplace incidents. Businesses must prioritise the safety and well-being of their staff both for the employee’s welfare, and for staff retention, especially in roles where staff may be vulnerable to crime-related incidents.
Netwatch 2023 Research: Staff churn due to safety concerns
Last year, Netwatch partnered with Amárach Research to interview 255 decision-makers across several Irish business sectors about their security-related experiences and future concerns.
- 64% of those surveyed were victims of crime in the past year and 24% cited staff intimidation or abuse as the most common form of criminal activity they had experienced.
- 13% noted physical injuries to their staff, up from 9% of businesses in 2021.
- This has led tostaff attendance and retention issues: 64% of intervieweesexperienced some form of criminal activity since 2022, of whom23% experienced a loss of staff or a need for leaves of absence due to criminal activity, up from 7% of businesses responding in the 2021 survey.
Looking to the future, 37% of businesses mention staff intimidation or abuse as the second most concerning form of criminal activity after robbery/burglary. This is the first time staff intimidation or abuse has appeared in Netwatch’s research and is a significant concern for organisations, particularly those with over 50 employees, where 42% of the cohort cited the issue.
With these alarming statistics, 35% of interviewees noted that they expect their organisations to increase investment in security over the next 12 months as they try to safeguard against physical damage, and theft and increase staff safety.
The Challenge: Traditional Security Measures Fall Short
While many businesses have adopted standard security measures like intruder alarms, surveillance cameras, security personnel, and warning signs, these often fall short.
Security guards often minimise risk and increase staff safety. However, the survey found the main reason for not having physical security guards is cost – 58% of those with physical security guards reported increased costs since January 2022 – followed by a lack of suitability and confidence in existing measures.
The big challenge for businesses is managing increasing costs, while ensuring staff feel protected and safe in their workplace.
Netwatch’s Pioneering Approach to Staff Safety?
A study by Netwatch revealed that over 45% of retail workers are either unaware of existing security systems in their workplace or don’t know how to use them. Moreover, a significant 60% noted that enhanced security measures would make them feel safer at work.
Enter the Netwatch Staff Safety Solution. Designed with the modern workplace in mind, this solution ensures employees are shielded from potential threats. A simple button press connects employees to Netwatch’s monitoring hub, offering immediate assistance and reassurance.
How our system works:
The Netwatch Staff Safety Solution allows two-way conversation between staff and a Netwatch Specialist in real time. Once activated the Netwatch Staff Safety Solution provides a live visually monitored situation. Within seconds a highly trained Netwatch specialist will review the scene, assess the threat level and take appropriate action. The specialist can also hear the conversation on the premises as it takes place.
Netwatch will follow a three-person response. One specialist can watch, listen and speak directly to the people involved, another will call and liaise in real-time with the Gardai, and then a third person will call a key contact pre-agreed with the customer.
The priority is keeping the people involved safe and ensuring the response does not escalate a potentially dangerous situation.
The rapid response often leads to perpetrators leaving immediately and make your staff feel that they are being protected and looked after. Even after an incident Netwatch stays live, monitoring your premises until your staff and site is secure.
What Netwatch clients say:
Sinéad Nolan, owner and manager of Nolans Spar Ballon has been using the Netwatch Staff Safety Solution to protect her staff and store. She says “The Netwatch Staff Safety Solution has been a game-changer. Knowing our staff is taken care of gives us immense peace of mind.
“We see upwards of 12,000 customers come through the door every week so we’re servicing a high volume of customers. We’ve been dealing with Netwatch for many years now, and from the get-go, it was a relationship that worked for us. They put up signage immediately once the system went in, and I think, as a rule, now people know when they see that they know the Netwatch brand, and they know that that means business.
“We brought in the Netwatch Staff Safety Solution to give us peace of mind. As owners and managers, we need to be able to go home in the evenings, safe in the knowledge that our staff is being taken care of at all times if anything happens.
“All the staff members here are really happy with the new system it gives everyone a great peace of mind and reassurance that they are safe.
We used panic buttons in the past, but this is a next-level system in terms of communication. For us as owners, we know that when the system is activated, we will be notified and it’s something that gives us complete security.”
Prioritise Staff Safety and Boost Retention.
A safe workplace isn’t just an HR mandate; it’s a commitment to employees. Enhance staff retention and foster a secure work environment with the Netwatch Staff Safety Solution.
Top Five Benefits of Netwatch Staff Safety Solution for HR Professionals
- Enhanced Safety: The Netwatch solution provides real-time visual monitoring, ensuring immediate threat assessment and response.
- Peace of Mind: Equipped with two-way audio and instant communication with local authorities, employees can go about their work safely, in the knowledge they’re protected.
- Rapid Response: Strategically placed for easy access, the system ensures swift action during crises, reinforcing employees’ trust in their employer’s safety measures.
- Competitive Edge in Recruitment: Businesses emphasising staff safety attract and retain the best talent in the competitive HR landscape: particularly important in Ireland, with its high employment rate.
- Data-Driven Insights: Netwatch’s Communication Hubs offer valuable post-incident analysis, helping HR professionals and management to identify patterns and implement preventive measures.
