A study led by QUT Business School researchers has found a simple intervention worth less than 50 cents – namely personalised "under badges" worn by frontline retail staff - can make them more relatable and significantly reduce verbal abuse from customers.
Published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Reducing frontline employee directed verbal abuse: A multi-study approach, was spearheaded by Professor Gary Mortimer and Dr Shasha Wang, in collaboration with Dr María Lucila Osorio Andrade from EGADE Business School, Mexico.
The project addressed a growing global concern: customer verbal abuse directed at frontline employees. Professor Mortimer says industry research shows 87 per cent of retail and fast-food workers report experiencing verbal abuse, with similar trends observed in the UK and USA.
"Retail workers are increasingly facing hostility from customers," Professor Mortimer said.
"From a sociological perspective, we suggest this is deeply entwined within society, driven by the notion of 'customer sovereignty' in which customers are perceived to hold all the power as their demand drives production, along with the low-status retail workers are often held in, and the disconnection between service employees and customers.
"Our research shows a simple intervention - an under badge with a personal message like 'I'm a dad', 'I'm a daughter' or even, 'I'm a local'- can humanise staff and shift customer behaviour.
"At less than 50 cents per badge, it's a very affordable option even for small retailers, compared to other measures that are being taken to keep workers safe, including body worn cameras, facial recognition technology, security guards and signage."
The research involved three studies:
- Study 1: Interviews with retail employees who participated in the "No One Deserves a Serve" campaign revealed that under badges fostered empathy and reduced abusive incidents.
- Study 2: An online experiment with 600 consumers showed participants were significantly less likely to engage in verbal abuse when exposed to under badges during a simulated negative service encounter.
- Study 3: Replicated the findings of Study 2, confirming the reliability of the intervention.
Dr Wang said the findings offer a scalable solution for retail and service organisations.
"Retail workers are vulnerable to targeted verbal abuse, which can lead to mental health issues or even burnout. Under badges are a subtle form of self-disclosure that helps reduce such vulnerability by fostering social exchange and humanness," Dr Wang said.
"They remind customers the person serving them is not just an employee, but someone with a life, family, and living within the community; just like them.
"The Christmas shopping period usually sees a spike in customer abuse, driven in part by frustration and crowding, so adding another layer of protection to workers is worth putting into place."
The study builds on psychological frameworks including Social Penetration Theory and Humanness Theory, demonstrating that even minimal personal disclosures can foster connection and reduce aggression.
"This research provides practical, evidence-based strategies for improving the emotional climate of service interactions. It's a win for employee wellbeing and customer civility," Professor Mortimer said."
"The increasing number of incidents of abuse of workers shows existing interventions are not enough. There is a lack of evidence so far on the effect of technologies like body worn cameras, while store signage is largely ignored.
"Disclosing personal information is considered vital in developing relationships and in a service context, it has been shown to foster greater customer citizenship behaviours, along with respect, empathy and an increase in trust. For workers to verbally disclose this would seem a little strange but a badge can do the job for them.
"That disclosure of personal information creates a social exchange, and customers can see the person behind the counter as human, not just an extension of a retail brand."
The full study is available online via Elsevier: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104597
Main image: Professor Gary Mortimer and Dr Shasha Wang
