With customer anger and abuse on the rise, campaign aims to shield workers

Cool to be Kind campaign launch - Roz White, Co-Owner and Operator of White’s IGA Group and  Mayor Mark Jamieson.

Sunshine Coast Council has launched a new campaign promoting kindness to help shield workers from customer anger and abuse.

The campaign, It’s Cool to be Kind, is designed to support local businesses and industry doing it tough in the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Workers across many sectors, including hospitality, retail, transport, medical and administration are experiencing an increase in customer anger and abuse. 

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said the campaign, featuring unbranded videos, posters and marketing content for everyone to use, would generate widespread community awareness of the importance and benefits of treating staff and others in the community with kindness and respect.

“It’s all about encouraging a culture of kindness here on the Sunshine Coast,” Mayor Jamieson said.

“We know times have been tough, but many workers who are copping abuse have been providing us with much needed goods and services since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“Staff shortages and supply issues are having big impacts and ripple effects across the region and country, and no business wants to inconvenience their customers.

Sunshine Coast’s Roz White, Co-Owner and Operator of White’s IGA Group, said the campaign was very much needed.

“Throughout the pandemic our store teams have been directly impacted by constant change and uncertainty, some supply disruption due to peak demands and, more recently, an abnormal level of staff absenteeism due to a surge in COVID-19 cases,” Ms White said. 

“It has been a tough few years for our team members. Please know we are trying really hard to support our community as much as possible and are focused on keeping everyone safe and well.”

Unbranded campaign material can be downloaded from council’s website.