July 7, 2025 | Mark Hudson

EHS Daily Advisor ─ In the latest EHS On Tap podcast, Traliant’s Bailey Whitsitt, Compliance Counsel, breaks down what it really takes to protect today’s retail workforce — from rising incidents of workplace violence to the generational divide in how employees want to report them. 

Retail workers face a unique set of safety risks, and Bailey advocates for a proactive, modern approach to workplace safety — one that goes beyond physical hazards to include tailored training and strong, trustworthy reporting systems. 

She also shares insights from Traliant’s 2024 survey of 500+ full-time U.S. retail employees, revealing a clear generational shift: 49% of Gen Z workers prefer to report workplace violence anonymously, compared to much lower numbers among older employees. The takeaway? 
Cookie-cutter safety strategies aren’t going to cut it anymore. 

“Organizations need to understand these differences to enhance workplace violence prevention programs and create safer work environments,” Whitsitt says. 

The episode also explores how laws like the New York Retail Worker Safety Act are raising the bar — and how smart retailers can turn compliance into cultural change. 

Click here to listen to the podcast.