Agents urged to back employee safety pledges

Agents and other businesses are being encouraged back a new joint initiative from employee protection firm Peoplesafe and the Crimestoppers charity.

The organisations have launched the Step Up, Stay Safe campaign, calling on UK employers to take action to protect their working communities.

It comes as research by Peoplesafe shows employers underestimate the level of concern, with 57% of employees worried about facing aggression from the public.

A fifth of former lone workers and front-line staff said safety concerns were among the reasons they chose to leave their job.

One in four people do not want to take a role that involves face-to-face contact with the public, with 62% citing safety concerns among the reasons for that

It is an issue of importance to the estate agent sector, especially since the unsolved disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh in 1986.

The Peoplesafe partnership with Crimestoppers is a call to action for employers to take decisive action to comprehensively tackle the issue, so that the UK workforce has proper protection, wherever they are, and whenever they feel they need it. 

Employers sign up to:
 
•    Provide personal safety training, giving employees the skills to prepare for, and respond to, personal safety risks
•    Provide a personal safety alarm for all high-risk and vulnerable staff enabling them to get help during a workplace emergency
•    Offer personal safety technology to all staff, giving them access to a professional emergency response service operating 24/7/365 days a year
•    Embed a personal safety culture, encouraging open conversations about safety and to remind employees to follow safety policies and procedures
•    Raise awareness of personal safety tips, actively promoting and endorsing the Step Up, Stay Safe messages and resources

Employers who support the campaign will receive access to a bank of employee safety-related resources and be able to display the Step Up, Stay Safe kitemark. 

They will also have the opportunity to join other campaign advocates for online and live events, all focussed on better personal safety measures and on what is now urgently required to improve them nationally.

Naz Dossa, chief exectutive of Peoplesafe, said: “Peoplesafe is not just about providing tech solutions. We want to help tackle the problem at source and it has long been our aim to amplify the issue of personal safety amongst UK institutions and businesses.

“We hope this campaign, in partnership with Crimestoppers, will help us drive this forward.
To date, there is no official legislation or guidance that places responsibility on the employer to protect their employees outside of work – not even during their commute.
“Despite this, more than half of workers believe that their employer has a duty of care to them outside of working hours.

“We’re asking UK businesses to go beyond basic compliance and step up to keep their people safe.”
 
David Crawley, director of development at Crimestoppers, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Peoplesafe on this initiative. Our charity is committed, and proud, to work with organisations who share our values of always keeping people and communities safe from harm.”

Employers can sign up at: https://peoplesafe.co.uk/step-up-stay-safe/