Finnish Commerce Federation and Service Union United PAM: A store restraining order enables a safe business and work environment in the commerce sector

Both companies and employees require a safe business and work environment. According to a report on work in the service sector by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, there is now more psychological violence in the commerce sector than, for example, in 2008. The survey states that 5% of employees in the commerce sector report encountering psychological violence in their work every week. As recently as 2008, this figure was 2%.

Disorderly behaviour and property damage cause not only direct costs but also human suffering. At its worst, the situation can cause anxiety, exhaustion and even incapacity for work for the employee.
PAM’s employee representatives are receiving an increasing number of contacts on the subject.

“Poor and inappropriate behaviour towards the personnel is regrettably common and has increased even further after the pandemic. There are many young people working in their first employment in the commerce sector. For this reason as well, it is important not to give the impression that this kind of treatment is part of customer service or working life. The customer is not always right, especially when they behave inappropriately and disrespectfully towards the personnel,” says Christa Pessi, the chief labour protection delegate at HOK-Elanto.

Companies do not have many tools to use when continuous troublemaking, vandalism or the tormenting or threatening of a company employee take place: the police might not arrive in time to take care of the situation due to resource limitations, the act does not meet the criteria of an unlawful threat, or banning a singular person from the company premises or their neighbouring areas is not legally uncomplicated.

Harri Nykopp, K-Market Otso’s retailer and Chairman of the K-Market Board, also says that he regularly receives messages from the field about increasing troublemaking in shops – and especially of cases where the perpetrator is an “old acquaintance” who harasses the same shop often.

“Disruptive behaviour has increased dramatically and it affects both work and business safety. It is mentally tasking for shop employees to keep wondering when a certain disruptive customer will revisit the shop. Disruptive behaviour also creates a feeling of insecurity for the customers who have to watch these challenging situations from the sidelines,” says Nykopp.

According to Nykopp, troublemaking in shops no longer has real consequences. In his opinion, a store restraining order would provide good support for shops in difficult situations and prevent future disturbances.

“It’s important that we introduce the store restraining order and give shops the opportunity to obtain a legally valid restraining order against perpetrators of constant disruptive behaviour,” says Nykopp.

For further information, please contact:

Terhi Kuljukka-Rabb, Chief Policy Adviser, commerce safety, Finnish Commerce Federation, tel. +358 (0) 50 300 3263, terhi.kuljukka-rabb(at)kauppa.fi

Erika Kähärä, work environment expert, PAM, tel. +358 (0) 40 764 5295, erika.kahara(at)pam.fi