Preparing for COVID-Conflict

    Maybo Support for Shops and Restaurants

    Help and advice for retail employees during the Coronavirus crisis

    Maybo, in association with ORIS Media, is pleased to offer LP Magazine Europe readers free resources to help them prepare employees for the additional stresses and conflicts we are witnessing in these challenging times.

    eLearning: Reducing Retail Conflict and Violence Risks: COVID-19 Edition

    Maybo has partnered with ORIS Media to offer 1000 free places on our eLearning course ‘Reducing Retail Conflict and Violence Risks: COVID-19 Edition’.  The course explores the risks we may experience and the steps we can take to prevent and reduce conflict situations.

    It introduces the risks and vulnerabilities present when working in customer-facing retail roles and highlights how to take measures to keep yourself safe when you encounter potentially risky situations. It has been updated to include advice relevant to COVID 19 in addition to covering more regular scenarios, such as angry customers, theft and disruptive behaviours experienced in our shops and restaurants, including:

    • Recognising proactive measures to reduce the risk of work-related violence
    • Key messages and employer considerations
    • Safety Guidance 
    • Addressing behaviours of concern
    • Actions following an incident

    Click here to request free access to this eLearning course.

    For information on a low-cost license for this course or a tailored version for your organisation, please get in touch.

    Covid-Conflict Tips for Retail Workers

    The tips below are intended for retailers to use freely in their employee communications, posters and training. Please draw from these where helpful in preparing your existing and new employees for customer interactions that may be particularly challenging in these testing times.

    While keen to get back to work, many retail employees will have anxieties over their health and safety. Most customers have been compliant and observed restrictions, but returning colleagues and new recruits will have heard and seen first-hand hostility towards workers and between customers.

    Download Employee Tips

    Employee Tips: Responding to COVID-19 Conflict and Behaviours of Concern

    We appreciate the current situation can be stressful for our employees and our customers. Most people understand that restrictions are necessary to keep everyone safe and well, however they can also cause inconvenience and frustration.
     
    Although present circumstances are beyond our control, through positively engaging with customers from the moment they arrive we can help reduce tensions (ours and theirs!) and win their support and loyalty.
     
    The following tips are intended to help reduce and de-escalate emotive situations, including:

    • Customer dissatisfaction over restrictions on our offerings and service as a result of essential COVID-19 safety precautions
    • Conflict between customers over each other’s behaviour (e.g. distancing) and ‘perceived’ injustices like queue jumping

     

    Positive approaches for reducing conflict

    We can help reduce conflict and prevent a situation escalating through adopting a positive and helpful approach, including where appropriate:

    • Acknowledging customer frustrations
    • Thanking them for their patience, for waiting etc.
    • Apologising for the inconvenience they may have experienced
    • Listening attentively to their concerns and offering alternatives where viable
    • Introducing them to a manager who may be able to help them

    It is important that you:

    • Try not to take criticism personally
    • Do not argue with customers

    Remember: It’s not just what we say - it’s the way we say it

     

    Personal safety and behaviours of concern

    Your personal safety is paramount so:

    • Ensure colleagues know when you are going to be alone or out of sight
    • Make sure you are able to call for assistance and/or have a route to safety 

    If you become aware of people behaving in ways that are of concern such as being disruptive or behaving unsafely:

    • Inform your supervisor right away
    • Stay a safe distance and do not get in a person’s way
    • Treat people with respect, even if you disapprove of their behaviour
    • Now more than ever we need to work together as a team and support each other, so please also treat your colleagues with courtesy and respect.

     

     

    Accredited Training for Retail Workers

    Retail operations lie at the heart of our communities, yet significant numbers of staff experience verbal abuse, threats or even physical assault. Maybo training provides staff with the skills to safely recognise and respond to challenging behaviours, helping to improve the safety and security of your colleagues and customers, whilst protecting the reputation of your business.

    • All

    • eLearning

    • Classroom

    • Virtual Classroom

    • Train the Trainer

    eLearning

    Maybo's eLearning programmes utilise the latest learning technologies, realistic scenarios and interactive exercises to offer an engaging self-study learning experience.

    eLearning can play a valuable role within a blended learning strategy, underpinning the knowledge and reducing staff abstraction time, or in some instances as a complete solution. It also works well for induction and refresher training.

    To find out more or for volume purchases contact our team or visit our eLearning store for individual purchases.

    eLearning is also known as self-directed learning. It often precedes Classroom or Virtual Classroom training to provide a foundation of knowledge in advance - this is known as a blended approach.

    Classroom

    Maybo designs and delivers training to meet your requirements and can deliver direct to your staff wherever you need it. We take time to understand your training needs and the unique challenges and scenarios your colleagues face, to ensure our Classroom courses are highly relevant. Learners receive superb resources and certificates with a range of accreditation and qualification options.

    Classroom training can be combined with eLearning to form a blended learning strategy, underpinning the knowledge and reducing staff abstraction time.

    Classroom training is delivered by a trainer at an agreed venue. It is also sometimes called face-to-face or in-person training.

    Virtual Classroom

    Maybo designs and delivers Virtual Classroom training to meet your requirements.

    Virtual Classroom training enables staff to benefit from engaging team training with high-levels of participation delivered remotely by a skilled facilitator over video conferencing software including Zoom and MS Teams.

    Virtual Classroom training can also be combined powerfully with eLearning to form a blended learning strategy, with eLearning underpinning the knowledge and reducing staff abstraction time.

    Virtual Classroom training is live, participatory training delivered remotely by a trainer with video conferencing software.

    Train the Trainer

    Maybo offers a Train the Trainer model that equips experienced trainers to deliver Maybo's accredited training curricula within their own organisation.

    We run regular courses on a variety of subjects that include supporting people with complex needs, positive behaviour support, preventing conflict and behaviours of concern, safer approaches to de-escalation and conflict resolution, personal safety, assault avoidance and low arousal handling skills.

    To find out more contact our team.

    Trainers receive access to Maybo's online resource centre where they can find everything they need to deliver and certify Maybo training in-house.

    Retail Covid Conflict – All

    • Reducing Conflict and Violence Risks

      This eLearning course introduces the risks and vulnerabilities present when working in customer-facing retail roles and highlights how to take measures to keep yourself safe when you encounter potentially risky situations.

      It also covers regular scenarios, such as angry customers, theft and disruptive behaviours experienced in our shops and restaurants.

      • Recognise proactive measures to reduce the risk of work-related violence
      • Key messages and employer considerations
      • Safety Guidance 
      • Addressing behaviours of concern
      • Actions following an incident

      Delivery methods:

      • eLearning eLearning

    • Preventing Conflict and Reducing Risk

      This module is for people who regularly interact with customers or members of the public in their role.

      Reducing Work-related Violence Risks

      • Workplace violence and difficult behaviours
      • Rights and responsibilities
      • Planing to reduce conflict and risk

      Signs and Causes of Escalating Conflict

      • Common causes of difficult behaviours
      • Instinctive reactions to emotional or threatening situations
      • Potential triggers in self and others
      • Levels of escalation

      Positive Interactions and Choices

      • People's needs and expectations
      • Influencing positive outcomes
      • Overcoming barriers to communication

      Delivery methods:

      • eLearning eLearning
      • Classroom Classroom
      • Virtual Classroom Virtual Classroom
      • Train the Trainer Train the Trainer

    • Safer De‑escalation

      This module covers de-escalation strategies to alleviate a situation and achieve a positive and safer outcome.

      Dynamic Risk Assessment

      • Maybo SAFER model
      • Risk identification
      • Informed decision-making

      De-escalation Skills

      • Positive, non-aggressive approaches
      • Safer positioning and teamworking skills
      • Strategies to defuse, calm and resolve

      Personal Safety and Post-incident

      • Confronting behaviour
      • Heightened risk indicators
      • Exit strategies in higher-risk situations
      • Post-event impact and responsibilities

      Delivery methods:

      • eLearning eLearning
      • Classroom Classroom
      • Virtual Classroom Virtual Classroom
      • Train the Trainer Train the Trainer

    • Safer Lone Working

      This eLearning module explores the risks we may experience when working alone and the steps we can take to increase our personal safety.

      • Risks and vulnerabilities of lone working
      • Risk reduction measures we can take to prepare for working alone
      • Reducing risk when travelling alone
      • Reduce risk when arriving at a premises

       

      Delivery methods:

      • eLearning eLearning

    • Personal Safety and Disengagement

      This module provides additional practical strategies for disengaging and reducing the risk of assault.

      It is relevant for employees whose roles require them to engage with people whose behaviour can be unpredictable.

      Risks, Rights and Responsibilities

      • Defining defensive skills and interventions
      • Risks of using physical skills
      • Authority for the use of physical skills
      • Individual and team responsibilities 
      • The importance of secondary strategies to reduce the need for physical skills

      Defensive Personal Safety Skills to Avoid Assault and Disengage

      • Training and operational risks associated with the use of Maybo physical skills
      • Low arousal positioning and defensive skills to avoid assault and reduce risk
      • Low arousal skills to release from wrist and clothing grips
      • Contextual applications of Maybo disengagement skills

       This module is RRN Approved when part of a BILD ACT Certified Curriculum.

      Delivery methods:

      • Classroom Classroom
      • Train the Trainer Train the Trainer

    • Redirection and Guiding

      This module provides additional low arousal redirection and guiding skills. 

      • Training and operational risks
      • Low arousal physical intervention skills to prompt or guide an individual
      • Low arousal physical intervention skills to re-direct an individual

       This module is RRN Approved when part of a BILD ACT Certified Curriculum.

      Delivery methods:

      • Classroom Classroom
      • Train the Trainer Train the Trainer

    Contact us for more information on Maybo training solutions

    Free eLearning access is limited to 20 people per organisation.
    If you would like to provide access to your wider team please get in touch.