A study has recently been published by Professor Gary Mortimer titled ‘Reducing frontline employee directed verbal abuse: A multi-study approach, which examines the efficacy of the SDA’s ‘No One Deserves a Serve’ underbadges.’
In late 2017, the SDA launched our ‘No One Deserves a Serve’ campaign, which aims to reduce abuse of frontline staff.
Later, as part of this campaign, the SDA began handing out thousands of free ‘under badges’, with the No One Deserves a Serve logo and short humanising messages, for example “I’m a mother” or “I’m a Son” at retail and fast food outlets such as Woolworths, Target, Big W and Hungry Jacks.
Overall, people who were interviewed as part of the research who had worn the under badges said they seemed to reduce verbal abuse, created opportunities to chat and increased customers’ empathy.
A 39-year-old supermarket worker said:
“[Customers] treat us like dirt. I recall this old fellow coming in and carrying on […] and then he just calms down when he sees that I’m a mother. He starts talking about his kids when they were younger. It was like I suddenly became a real person, not just a worker.”
Another 22-year-old worker said:
“I think badges made customers see us as equals.”
Working with 600 research participants, researchers found that while the under badge didn’t completely deter verbal abuse, there was a statistically significant reduction in customers’ intention to engage in verbal abuse when the additional badge saying “I’m a mum/dad/daughter/son” was also worn.
The research demonstrates when workers disclose personal information, a social exchange takes place. Customers see the worker as a human – not just an extension of the retail brand.
If you do not have a badge, yours has been lost or broken or you would like to give them away at your workplace, they are available free of charge from the SDA – call us on
07 3833 9500 or email [email protected].