Retail workers regularly deal with difficult customer interactions and even brief moments of conflict can leave a lasting impact on staff wellbeing.
To support safe, calm and harmonious workplaces, the Australian Retail Council has developed 2 short online training sessions to help frontline teams navigate challenging situations and feel more supported after incidents occur.
Developed with funding from the City of Sydney, each 20‑minute module gives you practical tools to de-escalate aggressive behaviour in-store.
The self‑paced sessions cover:
- common triggers for challenging customer behaviour
- how to identify physical and psychological risks
- simple, safe techniques to defuse tense situations
- ways to build empathy and support workers following an incident.
The sessions are free until 31 August for businesses in the City of Sydney's area. To receive your free access code, contact the Australian Retail Council at training@retail.org.au.
Published 27 February 2026