risk of exposure to COVID-19, workers encountered amended roles. “Not only ‘service with a smile,’” Grandey said, “but also ‘enforce masks,’ which was kind of the opposite of ‘service with a smile’ given people’s reactions.” Over the past two-plus years, pandemic-driven customer hostility has assumed many forms – and has even taken to the skies. According to Federal Aviation Administration statistics for 2022, as of May 3, the agency has fielded more than 1,300 reports of unruly airline passenger behavior. Of those, more than 800 involved passenger hostility toward federal masking requirements. Mayer’s study surveyed more than 3,300 grocery store workers in Arizona. It found that high levels of interaction with potentially hostile customers triggered “high levels of mental health distress.” The study concluded that a feeling that they lack employer support could create a trickle-down effect on workers who are experiencing anxiety, depression and distress. “People are anticipating that these things are going to happen,” Mayer said. “But as you’re sort of thinking about, ‘Is this next person that’s going to come in the door or this next person that looks agitated at my register, if they’re going to threaten me, if they’re going to yell at me, that I’m going to have to do this on my own,’ that’s going to contribute to stress even if it doesn’t happen.” Grandey contends that, in the current environment, asking workers to deliver friendly service regardless of treatment may border on unethical. “Employers need to be letting employees know as a first step that they have their backs, that they will not tolerate customers who are abusive,” she said. “The customer is not always right, and when they are abusive, the employee has the right to say, ‘I will not be treated like that, and this conversation is over,’ and not be penalized for it.” Providing support and regularly checking in with workers about unpleasant experiences with customers can help employers protect the well-being and retention of frontline staff, Grandey added. “Asking employees, the ones who are interacting daily with customers, for input, that’s what helps them feel valuable, helps them feel safe and psychologically protected at work,” she said. “And they’re likely to have a good idea of the kind of interactions they’re going to have and the kinds of strategies that will and won’t work. Managers don’t have to have all the answers, but they do need to know what questions to ask.” What employers can do NIOSH recommends that employers provide training on strategies to recognize, avoid and respond to potentially violent situations. According to the agency, warning signs of violence include verbal cues (such as speaking loudly or swearing) and nonverbal cues (clenched fists, heavy breathing, a fixed stare and pacing). Steve Fabick is a Birmingham, MI-based psychologist whose areas of expertise include conflict resolution and stress management. He advises workers responding to violence or potential violence to be mindful not only of the individual, but also the situation. Feature at a Glance Pre-COVID-19 pandemic work life may not return as quickly for employees in customer-facing industries. As some experts see it, the immediate future for workers in grocery, retail, hospitality and similar sectors still includes the risk of stress and anxiety stemming from interactions with hostile customers. Key points • Over the past two-plus years, pandemic-driven customer hostility has assumed many forms. • NIOSH recommends that employers provide training on strategies to recognize, avoid and respond to potentially violent situations. . • “Early intervention is essential and requires a supportive, nonjudgmental approach,” the National Retail Federation says. “Acknowledge the customer’s concerns and give them an opportunity to vent before asking them to do something they might not like (for example, wear a mask).” ile Reprinted from Safety+Health, Vol. 205, No. 6 • ©2022 National Safety Council Continued on page 14 N E W H A M P S H I R E 13
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