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As the festive rush begins, White Rose Shopping Centre has joined forces with the Retail Trust, the retail industry charity, to help protect retail workers from rising levels of abuse, with dedicated free training to help colleagues manage difficult interactions. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Delivered through the charity\u2019s Let\u2019s Respect Retail<\/a><\/strong> campaign, White Rose and the Retail Trust are rolling out practical training , offering its centre and store staff the tools and confidence to handle challenging interactions and recover after difficult moments on the shop floor. \u00a0<\/p>\n Staff who have already attended the training said it offered clear, practical guidance while helping them feel more prepared. At White Rose, Retail Manager Katy Roy said the session \u201cgave a clear process to follow to help deal with challenging situations,\u201d adding that she appreciated \u201cthe light-hearted approach in addressing a very serious situation.\u201d Team Leader Tatum from Flying Tiger echoed this, describing the training as \u201creally informative\u201d and saying she would take the techniques back to her wider team.\u00a0<\/p>\n Colleagues at Holland & Barrett also noted the value of having a structured approach. Supervisor Grace described it as \u201ca very useful session\u201d that provided \u201ca concrete framework to deal with situations,\u201d while store colleague Cory highlighted the importance of sharing this knowledge, saying \u201cit\u2019s good that more retail workers know this to help customers and themselves.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The partnership follows new research from the Retail Trust showing that over three-quarters (77%) of shop staff nationwide have faced intimidating behaviour in the past year, one in four (23%) have been physically assaulted, and nearly half (43%) say they are being abused or attacked every week.\u00a0<\/p>\n The charity is calling on shoppers to help restore humanity to the high street this Christmas, starting\u202fwith simple gestures of respect like a hello, thank you or a smile. In December, visitors to White Rose will also see messaging throughout the centre, reminding millions that every act of kindness counts. \u00a0<\/p>\n Steven Foster, Centre Director at Trinity Leeds and White Rose, commented: <\/p>\n \u201cRetail workers are at the heart of both Trinity Leeds and White Rose, keeping our stores, restaurants and experiences running every day, and we have a responsibility to create a place where everyone feels safe, respected and valued.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis partnership with the Retail Trust not only provides teams practical tools and emotional support, but it also reminds all of us that small acts of kindness make a real difference. When our team and workers feel protected and appreciated, it leads to better experiences for them and for everyone who visits.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, added: <\/p>\n \u201cUnkind and aggressive behaviour has sadly become \u2018part of the job\u2019 for far too many people working in retail. We want to equip staff across White Rose with the skills to safely de-escalate difficult situations and look after their wellbeing.<\/p>\n \u201cOur campaign is also calling on everyone to restore respect to the high street this Christmas, starting with acts as simple as a thank you, a greeting, and a smile. We know that the smallest acts of recognition still make a huge difference to anyone who is facing daily hostility at work.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This post is based on a press release issued on behalf of White Rose Shopping Centre<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n While you\u2019re here, can we ask a favour?<\/strong><\/p>\n South Leeds Life is published by a not-for-profit social enterprise. We keep our costs as low as possible but we\u2019ve been hit by increases in the print costs for our monthly newspaper which have doubled in the last two years.<\/p>\n Could you help support local community news by making a one off donation, or even better taking out a supporters subscription?<\/p>\n\n
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