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10.12.2025 16:52

“Young people must not be taught that harassment is part of the job”

When a young worker is subjected to belittling, threats or sexual harassment, life becomes unsafe. Occupational safety representative Anni Leppänen reminds us that the customer is not always right – and that harassment must be stopped immediately.

työsuojeluvaltuutettu Anni Leppänen

“I started working at age 15 at a local grill, and I’ve worked in the service sector ever since. I’ve now been JYSK’s national occupational safety representative for four years.

Sixty percent of our staff are under 25 years old. Young workers are in a particularly vulnerable position, because they often lack the experience to know what is acceptable at work and what is not. The fear of being seen as a difficult employee – or even losing your job – stops people from speaking up.

Young people don’t dare defend themselves, because we’ve been taught that the customer is always right.

The results of our staff survey were alarming: 150 out of 200 employees reported experiencing belittling or mocking comments, and almost half said they had faced threats or gender-based harassment. Young people don’t dare defend themselves, because we’ve been taught that the customer is always right. And when we go against that idea, it can feel like we’re also going against the rules of the workplace.

On my initiative, we created harassment and threat guidelines at JYSK. The instructions include clear and concrete practices, and a firm policy that service can be stopped immediately if someone faces sexual harassment or feels threatened. This has made many young workers feel much safer. For the first time, the message from company management is clear: you do not have to tolerate bad behaviour.

If you’re rude online, you’re often rude in person too.

Unfortunately, harassment has only increased over the years. Customers’ stress, poor well-being and financial struggles may explain some of the behaviour – but social media also plays a role. If you’re rude online, you’re often rude in person too. Increasingly, customers also start filming the employee if they’re unhappy. This is digital harassment, and it’s extremely stressful!

Young people are not “too sensitive” or “making a big deal out of nothing”.

I also want to emphasise that young people are not the problem. They’re not “too sensitive” or “making a big deal out of nothing”. In fact, young people today understand better than ever that harassment has no place in modern working life. We must not teach them that it’s just part of the job.

Harassment doesn’t disappear on its own. Every time a young worker dares to speak up about what they’ve experienced, or a store has the courage to stop a threatening or inappropriate customer, it’s a step in the right direction. The customer is not always right.”

Let’s behave campaign reminds us to treat others with respect

The Ollaan ihmisiksi / Let’s behave campaign encourages customers to reflect on their own behaviour during the busy Christmas shopping season.

Why is the campaign needed?

  • 70% of customer service workers have experienced harassment
  • 35% have faced sexual harassment
  • 80% of people under 25 have experienced harassment
  • 40% of customers have seen other customers behaving inappropriately in the past year

The joint campaign by PAM and the Finnish Commerce Federation will be visible in December, including on social media and in shops. Follow the campaign with the hashtags:
#OllaanIhmisiksi, #VänligtBemött, #LetsBehave

Download campaign materials in Finnish, Swedish and English here

Read more in Finnish: ollaanihmisiksi.fi

Keywords:

commerce sector membership occupational safety

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