Trouble at the register

Policy Forum Pod

On this Policy Forum Pod, Ariadne Vromen and Briony Lipton join us to talk about the increase in customer abuse and job insecurity Australian retail workers are facing during the pandemic, and what government and industry can do to ensure staff are protected.

Retail workers have played a critical role throughout the pandemic, ensuring essential food, medicine and other goods have been available in this incredibly difficult period. But according to a new study, retail workers have faced job insecurity, customer abuse, and increased stress from enforcing COVID-19 rules. So what are the reasons behind this disturbing trend, and what can policymakers do to ensure staff are safe at work and have access to secure jobs into the future? On this episode of Policy Forum Pod, two of the study’s authors - Professor Ariadne Vromen and Dr Briony Lipton - join Professor Sharon Bessell to discuss the impact of the pandemic on retail workers, and what lessons need to be learned by policymakers and industry.

Ariadne Vromen is Sir John Bunting Chair of Public Administration at Crawford School of Public Policy and Deputy Dean (Research) at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government.

Briony Lipton is a post-doctoral research associate within the Women, Work and Leadership Research Group at the University of Sydney Business School.

Sharon Bessell is Professor of Public Policy and Director of Gender Equity and Diversity at ANU Crawford School of Public Policy.

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