Impact of Crime on Small Businesses Report 2008 - Gauteng Online

THE IMPACT OF CRIME ON SMALL BUSINESSESturnover, and damage to the employer/employee relationship were reported in asmaller percentage <strong>of</strong> cases.Table 16: Psychological impact on staffVery severe orsevere impactSome impact No impact Don’t knowDifficulty returning to work 22% 12% 54% 12%Reduced productivity 21% 14% 54% 12%Difficulty interacting with 16% 12% 59% 13%customers/clientsDamage toemployer/employeerelationship12% 9% 67% 13%Higher staff turnover 9% 8% 68% 16%Sample size: 379Businesses located in townships and informal settlements, and business operatingin inner cities, reported similar levels <strong>of</strong> employee difficulties as a result <strong>of</strong> traumaexperienced during incidents <strong>of</strong> crime. The impact on employees in densely developedsuburban areas was slightly lower than average in all cases.Again, results differed significantly according to whether the respondent operatedfrom an area perceived as being high crime or relatively safe. In areas characterisedas high crime, 22 percent <strong>of</strong> respondents reported very severe impact on staff interms <strong>of</strong> difficulty returning to work - compared to eight percent in low crime areas.Twenty nine percent <strong>of</strong> respondents in high crime areas felt that staff memberswere showing considerable levels <strong>of</strong> reduced productivity as a result <strong>of</strong> exposure tocrime. Twenty four percent <strong>of</strong> respondents in high crime areas reported a severe orvery severe impact in terms <strong>of</strong> staff difficulties in interacting with customers andclients - compared to nine percent in low crime areas.Understandably, robberies appeared to create the greatest negative effect. Amongrespondents whose businesses had been robbed, half said that their employees hadexperienced difficulties returning to work, and 40 percent reported reduced productivity.Over a third reported damage both to employees’ ability to interact with customers,and to the employer-employee relationship. Fifteen percent reported higherstaff turnover.73