Harassment of Retail Employees is a Huge Problem — But Not in the Way You May Think
Harassment of Retail Employees is a Huge Problem — But Not in the Way You May Think
Everyone has heard of workplace harassment. Many people picture this as a creepy manager flirting with his employees, or as the oddball guy who won’t leave the women in the office alone. However, harassment committed by customers is equally (or even more) problematic. This type of harassment can occur when the harasser feels they have a more powerful status over the victim, and that this person will most likely get away with their actions.
What do you mean by “more powerful status?”
I’m sure it’s safe to assume we all have witnessed a “Karen.” This colloquial term describes the type of customer who thinks they know everything about a restaurant or grocery store and would like to try and manage the employees at these locations. As stated in the academic journal, ‘But It’s Your Job to be Friendly,’ “The power that customers exert over employees in service transactions makes employees feel intimidated, humiliated and hesitant to complain about unwanted…attention.” This power dynamic makes these Karens think that they have free reign over the cashiers and waitresses—when they really shouldn’t. All that these customers do is stress out the employee, and tensions rise for everyone involved.
Not only does the harassing customer stand out like a sore thumb, the surrounding customers usually feel empathy or pity for the employee who was being bullied. Most people know exactly what I mean by this. The feeling of wanting to stand up to the harasser, but the conflicting feeling that doing so puts a target on your back. So, most of us will just avert eye contact, avoid the situation, and hope that it ends sooner than later. This is another example of the power dynamic being taken advantage of. Since the harasser has made themselves out to be someone not to be messed with, they almost always will control any situation they are part of.
Okay… so why does this power dynamic matter?
Even with the power dynamic in mind, how do the customers not fear any retaliation? This can be explained by the fact that customers know that no one wants to confront them about their toxic behavior. According to Shegerian Law Firm, it is quite hard to prove legally if harassment has occurred. Employees must go to their employers to report any form of harassment. From there, it becomes the employer's responsibility to take legal action. However, most employers seem to not go through the trouble of taking legal action when their employees are harassed. This could be because the employee's report to the employer often never happens.
But What About, "the Customer is Always Right?"
There seems to be a common idea of many customers that no matter what, they're always right. This idea has existed as long as retail has been an industry. However, this idea is quite incorrect. Just because a customer believes they are right, doesn't mean they get a pass to treat the employee serving them as less than themselves. This ideology seems to exist within the Millenial Generation and older, and it seems to wane away as more and more people enter the retail workforce and see what it truly is like to be on the receiving end of the constant harassment. As this idea becomes more antiquated, it will no longer be used as a defense for mistreating people behind the counters of our local restaurants or working the registers at our local grocery stores.
How can we go about changing this issue?
When people think of workplace harassment, many immediately think of coworkers harassing others. However, customers harass employees on a regular basis as well. As a retail employee myself, I can attest to many instances where a customer thought it was okay to mistreat me or one of my coworkers. Sometimes, someone will stand up to the harasser, and this usually catches them off guard. However, the more common response is for the customer to want to speak to the manager. Luckily, the manager at the store I work at is way more understanding and sympathetic to the employees under her and sometimes goes as far as to ban the harasser(s) from entering the store again.
Unfortunately, not everyone in retail is as lucky as I am to have such a caring manager, but managers are who can bring about the most change. If an employee is harassed, they should take solace in reporting it to their supervisor. By taking legal action against customers who harass their employees, it becomes normalized for employers to help take part in ending this harassment. In doing this, these obnoxious customers will be less apt to scream and shout at teenage cashiers for simple mistakes or waitstaff who forget to refill their water.
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