The Retail Report: Workplace Violence Prevention Pulse Survey
Report uncovers generational differences in workplace violence prevention training and reporting
Almost all retail workers (94%) agree that other states should adopt policies similar to New York’s Retail Worker Safety Act.
Traliant surveyed over 500 full-time U.S. retail employees to gain insights into the realities of retail workplace violence today. The findings of the Retail Report: 2024 Workplace Violence Prevention reveal how retail employees feel about their on-the-job safety and how employers are addressing workplace violence risks.
The report provides practical insights for employers looking to build a safer work environment for employees and customers. Key findings include:
- More than a third (38%) of Gen Z retail workers have witnessed workplace violence happening to another employee in the last five years compared to 22% of Millennials, 20% of Gen X, and 13% of Baby Boomers.
- Gen Z employees reported the highest rates (86%) of completed workplace violence prevention training compared to Baby Boomers (77%), Gen X (74%), and Millennials (78%).
- Gen Z respondents reported the lowest confidence rates for their abilities to de‑escalate potential workplace violence situations.
- Almost half (49%) of Gen Z retail workers said they would only report a scenario where they feared for their own or a coworker’s safety if they could do so anonymously, compared to only 19% of Baby Boomers.
- Almost all retail workers (94%) agree that other states should adopt policies similar to New York’s Retail Worker Safety Act.
With federal and state governments increasing regulations, employers are under increasing pressure to take more decisive actions. New York’s recent Retail Worker Safety Act, effective March 2025, mandates state retailers with 10 or more employees to provide workers to have a workplace violence policy and provide prevention training to workers. In July 2024, California enacted a Workplace Violence Prevention Law requiring all employers, regardless of industry, to have a workplace violence prevention policy and employee training.
Use this report to benchmark where your organization stands when it comes to providing a safe work environment and learn what strategies and solutions your organization needs to pursue to stay compliant and protect your team.
Report methodology
The independent market research firm Researchscape conducted this survey. Respondents were 528 U.S. retail workers from organizations with more than 100 employees. The survey was conducted in October 2024.
