A resilient, capable workforce is one of the most important assets a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) can invest in. But as many businesses know, supporting people in high-demand, customer-focused environments isn’t always straightforward, especially when demand outpaces available resources. 

That’s why the retail sector provides such a practical case study. With more than 10% of Australia’s workforce, retail is often where workplace trends, particularly pressure points, show up first. And right now, the data is telling us something important about how work is designed and the impact that has on both people and business performance. 

This isn’t about criticising employers who are already carrying a heavy load. It’s about recognising that work has become faster, more complex and harder to resource, and supporting business leaders to respond in a way that sustains productivity, safety and long-term success. 

What the retail data is showing us 

Recent industry research, including the Under Pressure: The Hidden Cost of Retail report published in August 2025, identified increasing psychosocial pressures within retail workplaces, highlighting the need for proactive approaches to staffing and workload management. 

Retail workers reported: 

• Increased workload pressure 

• Difficulty taking breaks when work builds up 

• Lower confidence during technology change 

• Challenges accessing support in busy periods 

Though, these aren’t exclusive to retail. They’re indicators of what can happen in any business when operational systems grow faster than the ability of people to safely keep up. 

Why this matters for business outcomes 

Many employers are committed to supporting their teams effectively, but the challenge is ensuring work is designed in a way that makes this possible. 

Sustainable workload design leads to measurable improvements in: 

• smoother operations; 

• reduced turnover; 

• better customer experience; and 

• improved wellbeing and engagement 

And importantly, compliance becomes far easier to manage. When work is designed with clear roles, adequate staffing and open communication, many of the PCBUs legislative and safety obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) (‘the WHS Act’) are naturally met. Issues like fatigue, stress and role conflict are identified early rather than surfacing as formal complaints or workers compensation claims later. It also makes consultation (one of the core duties under sections 46 to 49 of the WHS Act) more proactive, because your staff will feel heard and supported. 

Put simply, when you manage work design well, you’re not just improving culture, you’re reducing risk exposure, building trust and meeting your compliance duties in a pragmatic and sustainable way.  

Understanding your WHS duties (put simply) 

Psychosocial safety means making sure the way work is organised doesn’t put people at risk of stress-related harm. 

This includes managing:

• staffing levels in known busy periods
• reasonable workloads
• clarity when work or systems change
• access to support and supervision
• customer aggression and conflict 

We all know how to treat a physical hazard, identify it, assess it, control it. The challenge now is applying that same familiar approach to psychosocial hazards. Perfection isn’t the goal here. Staying aware of emerging risks and responding early is what matters most, using the same principles you already apply for physical safety. 

Practical ways employers can stay ahead of risk 

Here are three questions businesses can reflect on: 

Do we have visibility of peak pressures?

• Where are the bottlenecks or rush periods?
• Are expectations adjusted during those times? 

Are our systems enabling or overwhelming the team? 

• When technology changes, are people trained and consulted well?
• Do systems recognise the real pace of work? 

Are leaders set up to support their people? 

• Do they have enough authority to reset priorities when things change on the ground? 
• Often, small tweaks such as clearer task prioritisation, a break coverage plan, a short refresh on customer-aggression procedures, can significantly reduce this pressure. 

The opportunity for employers 

What stands out from the retail case study is this: 

When challenges are identified early, and when employers listen to their frontline teams, workplaces can adapt quickly, and everyone benefits. 

• Staff feel capable and valued 
• Supervisors are more confident in their role 
• Customers get a better experience 
• Businesses reduce avoidable cost and risk 

That is the kind of workplace design that keeps businesses strong. 

To conclude, you don’t need to overhaul your entire business to support psychological safety. It’s about regularly stepping back and asking: Are we setting people up to succeed, safely and sustainably? 

With thoughtful, practical adjustments, businesses can build resilience into their operations and create environments where people and performance thrive together.