SDA Union Logo
SA Change
Finding location
Join the SDA
Can we confirm that you work in Victoria?
Confirm or update your location to access branch specific content, events and resources.
Yes, confirm location No, change my location
Where do you work?
Update your location to access content, events and resources relevant to you.
View national website
Do you work in Newcastle or Broken Hill?
Confirm or update your location to access branch specific content, events and resources.
Yes No I don’t work in NSW
Choose your local branch
Multiple SDA branches serve NSW. Show me information for my work in:
New South Wales Newcastle, Central Coast & Hunter Valley Broken Hill
To view content specific to the SDA branch, please click the button below
Go to Site
Continue reading this content
Great! We will show you content and resources from the South Australia, Northern Territory and Broken Hill branch
Looks like you aren't in Australia
Confirm or update your location to access branch specific content, events and resources.
Yes, I'm overseas No, update my location
This content is from the branch of the SDA and may not be relevant to you.
Go to SDA Continue reading this content

Understaffing, excessive workloads and customer abuse are all workplace hazards facing Australian retail workers

The SDA’s Under Pressure: the hidden cost of retail, details the damaging impact of psychosocial hazards on retail workers and what needs to be done to address the problem.

What’s the issue?

Retail workers across Australia are facing serious harm to their health and wellbeing because of psychosocial hazards. These include:

  • Inadequate staffing
  • Work overload
  • Low job control
  • Poor change management
  • Low supervisor support
  • Customer aggression and violence
  • Dangerous tasks
  • Poor decision-making input
  • Unpredictable working hours
  • Role conflict

These hazards are leading to widespread stress, fatigue, burnout, and mental health issues. The SDA’s survey of over 11,000 members found:

  • 77% at high risk of harm
  • 72% experiencing burnout
  • 58% reporting very low wellbeing
  • 54% dissatisfied with their jobs
  • 49% intending to resign

What Are Psychosocial Hazards?

Psychosocial hazards are aspects of work that can cause psychological or physical harm. This includes:

Mental health impacts: anxiety, depression, PTSD, sleep disorders
Physical impacts: fatigue-related injuries, musculoskeletal disorders

Under Work Health & Safety (WHS) laws, employers have a legal duty to eliminate or minimise these risks.

The SDA’s 5-Point Plan

To address these hazards, the SDA has developed a comprehensive 5-Point Plan:

  • Safe staffing levels – Enough trained staff to meet demand
  • Sustainable workloads – Realistic expectations and proper breaks
  • Support for frontline workers – Training, supervision, and mental health support
  • Consultation on workplace change – Involving workers in decisions
  • Collaborative work design – Designing work that supports wellbeing

This plan aligns with SafeWork Australia’s Code of Practice and is backed by research from UNSW.

What the SDA Is Doing

  • Engaging with employers and industry bodies
  • Advocating for stronger laws and regulations
  • Negotiating better protections in Enterprise Agreements
  • Developing tools like the Workplace Action Plan to help workers assess safety in their stores

What you can do

  • Report all health and safety issues, including psychosocial hazards
  • Log incidents such as understaffing, excessive workload, or customer abuse
  • Use SDA support to ensure your workplace is safe
  • Know your rights under Work Health Safety (WHS) laws