A staggering number of Australian small business owners have considered walking away as pressures on mental health services increase at this time of year.
Craig, manager of a Sydney men’s clothing store, has revealed that Christmas is the worst time for staff as abuse increases astronomically and forces many owners to seriously consider closing the store for good.
A damn new one report by Search locally found that more than two-thirds of small business owners wanted to walk away because of the mental toll.
Craig told Daily Mail Australia that his staff suffer the most abuse during the so-called festive period.
“People are quite aggressive and angry,” he said.
‘(Personnel are bombed every day. They are abused. They are shouted at.
“I think because everyone has deadlines to meet at this time of year, so they take it out on store staff when something goes wrong.”
Craig said the abuse meted out by “difficult” customers to his employees has led to many taking sick days.
The abuse and stress small business owners and their staff face over Christmas and New Year has an impact on their mental health, with many wanting to walk away (buyers pictured)
Industry experts are asking shoppers to be more patient this festive season and show ‘compassion’ to store staff because they are ‘humans’ too (pictured shoppers queuing for Sydney’s Boxing Day sale last year)
“I’ve had a few people call in sick because they’re stressed this time of year,” he said.
‘With many people you notice that it ruins their mood, it ruins the day for them.
“I had a man in the hospital because of the stress he was getting at work.”
Craig said the biggest source of aggressive customers is when they try to return items that aren’t eligible for a refund.
“It could just be a change of heart and they want their money back, but we can’t give that to them,” he said.
“It’s clear that when you mess with people’s money, they become aggressive.”
Despite increased abuse at this time of year, the manager was unaware of any mental health initiatives or resources available to him and his employees.
Co-founder of clothing company TradeMutt, Ed Ross, agrees that rude customers can have a damaging impact.
“This time of year is chaos for everyone, and unfortunately small business owners and their staff are bearing the brunt,” he said.
‘Customers can be stressed and have little time. If you’re on the receiving end of that, it can really knock you down.
Sixty-nine percent of small business owners believe there are not enough mental health resources available to them. Often mental health is among a small business’s priorities when it faces more immediate pressures (customers pictured waiting in Sydney last year for year-end sales to begin)
‘My advice to customers: take a deep breath. Small businesses are people too, and they do everything they can to make your Christmas special.
‘A little kindness goes a long way; it costs nothing and makes everyone’s day a little easier.’
Handelmutt was founded with a mission to spark more conversations about mental health on construction sites in Australia and the co-founder said there are resources available for all workers.
‘Mental health affects everyone. “The statistics don’t lie: suicide rates are far too high, especially among working men,” he said.
“There are more mental health resources than people realize.
‘The key is to let people take that first step. If you’re not sure where to start, just talk to someone: a friend, a family member, even your doctor.’
CEO of Search locallyAdam Hargraves told Daily Mail Australia that 69 percent of small business owners believe there is not enough mental health care available to them, and as many as 72 percent do not feel supported.
“Small businesses often don’t have the resources or support systems that larger companies have,” he said.
“There is no dedicated HR team, no mental health programs, or even the luxury of getting away for a mental health day.
‘The focus is on keeping the doors open, allowing mental health care to remain at the bottom of the priority list.
“Unfortunately, that ‘tough on’ mentality can take a heavy toll.”
Mr Hargraves said most Australians do not understand the stress small businesses are facing and urged them to be patient.
“Christmas and New Year can be incredibly tough on small businesses,” he said.
‘I’ve talked to small retailers where customers have lost patience over issues like wait times or stock outs, which are often beyond their control.
‘For small teams, one bad interaction can take the wind out of the sails.’
Mr Hargraves said this time of year is ‘make or break’ for many businesses – and combined with other pressures such as customer demands and longer working hours, it is ‘no wonder stress levels are sky high’.
More retailers are taking mental health issues more seriously, introducing mental health days and training team members to recognize signs of mental health issues in colleagues (9 shoppers pictured)
Australian Retailers Association Chief Industry Affairs Officer Fleur Brown said she wants customers to be “compassionate”.
“Recognize that retail teams are working harder than ever to create a seamless customer experience during the holiday season.
‘They often sacrifice their own time with loved ones for this.’
Ms Brown said more and more shop owners are now taking mental health seriously.
“After a number of difficult years, we know that more and more entrepreneurs are investing in mental health care wherever possible,” she said.
‘They also take initiatives such as training team members to recognize signs of psychological problems in colleagues.
“Services like Beyond Blue offer a wide range of resources that business owners can take advantage of during the busy holiday season.”
If you, or someone you know, needs help, call Beyond Blue on 13 11 14.