Customer Incivility Is Fueling a Frontline Labor Crisis, New Research Finds
DALLAS — June 23, 2026 — While AI continues to shake-up white collar work, the frontline workforce is having a moment of reckoning with a different force: rising customer incivility.
A new study from global market research firm 3Gem, commissioned by HALOS, illustrates how customer abuse toward frontline workers has become an HR issue that threatens employee wellbeing, retention and workplace stability.
The poll of 1,500 frontline employees aged 18+ found that 42% have personally experienced customer aggression at work at least once in the past four weeks. And nearly 40% said customer aggression has increased over the past 12 months, signaling the problem is not only widespread, but worsening.
“Organizations spend tremendous time and money recruiting and retaining frontline talent, yet many are overlooking one of the biggest factors contributing to burnout and turnover,” said Alan Ring, CEO at HALOS. “When customer incivility and aggression toward employees becomes normalized, it goes from being a safety and security issue to being an HR and commercial issue. With the right policies and tools in place, businesses can get ahead of it and demonstrate that there's simply zero tolerance for this behavior.”
The risks of normalizing customer incivility
More than one-third (37%) of workers said their employer treats customer aggression as “just part of the job,” a mindset HALOS warns may be one of the greatest barriers to addressing the issue. Survey respondents shared a troubling range of run-ins with customers from verbal abuse to physical intimidation and assault, spitting and property damage.
Employer tolerance for this behavior has a notable impact on employee performance, engagement and retention, according to the research:
- 86% of respondents said customer abuse or aggression increased their stress or anxiety at work in the last year
- 84% said they have become more cautious or avoidant with customers
- 80% reported lower job satisfaction
- 37% said they had taken time off—or know of a co-worker who had—as a result of customer aggression.
Many employers aren't taking responsibility
The research also explored confidence in workplace response. Only 55% of workers strongly or somewhat agreed that reporting abuse or aggression at work leads to meaningful action.
“Businesses invest heavily in recruiting and retaining frontline employees, yet many still view customer aggression as simply part of the job, and this normalization of abuse has major consequences,” said Ring. “If frontline workers feel their employer believes aggression is inevitable and won’t meaningfully act when incidents occur, those businesses risk absenteeism, disengagement and burnout at a time when retaining skilled frontline labor is critical."
Learn more about how HALOS can protect your employees and your business at www.halosbodycams.com.
Methodology
The research was conducted by 3Gem in April 2026. The firm conducted an online survey of 1,500 U.S. adults (18+) employed in frontline industries including retail, hospitality (restaurants, bars and hotels), transportation (rail, bus, stations and airports), delivery and logistics (courier, last-mile and warehouse-facing roles), and private security.
About HALOS
HALOS is a fast growing global provider of body-worn camera technology for businesses of all sizes with workers on the frontlines. Combining advanced bodycam hardware, automatic video uploads and an all-encompassing data and evidence management platform, HALOS solutions help to keep your reputation – and your bottom line – strong. Learn more at www.halobodycams.com.
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