Half of Swedish service workers face customer aggression
A new Swedish report reveals half of service workers face aggressive customer behavior, with one in four experiencing sexual harassment. Frontline employees describe fearing for their safety during routine interactions. These findings highlight systemic issues in Sweden's service industry.
Every second service industry employee in Sweden experiences aggressive customer behavior. One in four workers has faced sexual harassment at some point. These findings come from a new report about Sweden's service sector. Paulina Villman, a 27-year-old store manager at a Gothenburg gas station, shared her experience. "I feared he would hit me," she said in a statement. The report reveals widespread mistreatment of frontline workers across Swedish businesses. Service employees regularly confront verbal abuse and threatening behavior. Many workers feel unprotected in their daily interactions with customers. This situation affects retail, hospitality, and other customer-facing roles throughout Sweden. Gothenburg, Sweden's second-largest city, shows similar patterns to national trends. The service sector employs nearly one million people across Sweden. Workplace safety concerns are growing among union representatives. Service workers deserve basic respect and security during their shifts. Why do so many customers feel entitled to mistreat employees? The report calls for stronger protections and better employer support systems.