We provide a wide range of services for our customers, often dealing with people in practical situations that can be upsetting or stressful to them. We understand that in times of trouble or distress, customers sometimes experience frustration and anger about the circumstances they are facing, and this may cause them to act out of character or behave in a negative way despite our best efforts to help.
it is important that our colleagues feel comfortable and supported so we can provide the best possible service. The specialised training and the work we do with colleagues to build understanding around how to respond to and report aggressive and abusive customers is crucial to creating a great place to work.
- We are committed to continuing to invest in our people to develop customer service skills and understanding across the organisation as illustrated by priorities included within our customer plan 2023 to 2026.
- We provide training workshops for colleagues dealing with challenging situations to ensure all our people feel confident about the action they can take if faced with a challenging customer.
- Our unacceptable behaviour policy clearly sets out that we treat all customers with courtesy and respect and expect our staff to be treated in the same way.
- Our Assure Go platform now has a specific form to be used on all mobile devices, allowing colleagues out on site to log aggressive and abusive types of events so immediate actions can be taken. Locations are logged on our site risk register to alert other colleagues of the incident and follow on checks with the individuals are carried out to ensure their welfare. Between April and July 2025, we received 3 reports of this nature, with us investigating all instances fully with the person that made the report.
- Our newly launched trauma risk management training sees a selection of colleagues from around the business take part in a structured, peer-led framework designed to provide support to individuals who have experienced potentially traumatic events.
- We have a team of over 20 qualified mental health first aiders throughout the organisation, which includes remote workers, making sure all operational colleagues are covered across Great Britain.
- Our free to use, 24/7 employee assistance programme offers an independent and confidential advice service, providing both practical advice and emotional support.
We value our people and that’s why we are fully committed to protecting them from foreseeable risks, including verbal and physical abuse.
We do not expect our employees to tolerate unacceptable behaviour when communicating with our customers. Before taking action, we will warn customers that their behaviour is unacceptable giving them the opportunity to change. If the behaviour continues, our employees are trained to remove themselves from the situation in the most appropriate manner.
Proper training, supported by robust policies, provides our people with the skills to de-escalate tense situations swiftly and safely, reducing the likelihood of harm, delivering a secure working environment for both our colleagues and the public.
How will we know we are succeeding?
| We will: |
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| Continue to make demonstrable progress in recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce reflective of the communities we serve across Great Britain, improving social mobility and providing opportunities for individuals who live in mining communities |
| Provide opportunities for our colleagues to grow and develop their skills and expertise including support for professional development, formal accreditation and apprenticeships |
| Demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of the public, our colleagues and our partners and supply chain through external benchmarking |
| Strive to maintain an employee survey engagement score above 70% |