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The Thomas Ashton Institute for Risk and Regulatory Research has successfully delivered the first session in its new Lunch & Learn series, attracting a wide audience from across academia, policy, and practice.

The inaugural session focused on managing violence and aggression in retail, an issue that is increasingly affecting workers, organisations, and communities across the UK.

The session was led by Professor Sheena Johnson and Dr Kara Ng, who shared insights from their research within the Institute’s Violence and Aggression Research Network (VARN) - a collaboration between the University of Manchester and the Health and Safety Executive.

During the session, attendees explored:

• The growing scale of violence and aggression faced by retail workers
• The impact on employee wellbeing, job satisfaction, and retention
• The wider organisational and economic costs
• Practical, evidence-based guidance to help organisations respond

Research presented during the session highlighted the increasing frequency of incidents in retail, alongside a growing awareness of their impact on frontline staff. A key focus of the session was a set of practical guidelines developed in partnership with the Retail Trust, designed to support organisations in preventing incidents and supporting employees when they occur.

These guidelines introduce a simple, structured framework covering areas such as:

• Reporting incidents effectively
• Supporting staff following incidents
• Learning from data and implementing improvements

The session also provided an opportunity for open discussion, with participants joining from a range of sectors including policing, local government, retail and academia - highlighting the cross-sector relevance of the issue.

The Institute will continue its Lunch & Learn series in the coming months, providing accessible opportunities to engage with cutting-edge research and practical solutions to real-world challenges.