Social Security Experience Panels - keeping staff and clients safe: report

In an office environment

Within an office environment, the majority of respondents suggested that clients should be given a space within the office where they can calm down.

“Let the person have some time to calm down in a quiet area”.

“Have a cooling off area”.

“Give the client space, a quiet area, a safe space to reduce their anxiety”.

Another popular response given by respondents was that staff should be paired up when dealing with a client who may be displaying unacceptable actions.

“Remain calm and should the member of staff feel uncomfortable or in danger then get another staff member to sit in and assess if security or police need to be present”.

“Each office should have two people working together who are trained in techniques to calm an angry person”.

Many of the respondents felt that training staff in knowing how to handle any problem with clients was essential to managing these situations well.

“De-escalation is key and training in this specific area is an absolute key essential”.

“Staff should be safeguarded too so they should be trained in defusing situations”.