Currys has announced a new partnership with industry charity the Retail Trust, giving its 15,000 UK employees enhanced access to mental health and wellbeing support.
The move comes at a critical time for the retail sector, where rising levels of stress, burnout and workplace abuse are placing increasing pressure on employees. By expanding its wellbeing offering, Currys is aiming to provide more comprehensive, accessible support not only for colleagues, but also for their families.
Expanding support beyond the workplace
Through the partnership, Currys employees will now have access to a wide range of new services designed to support both mental health and financial wellbeing.
These include:
- Counselling support for employees and their household family members
- A specialist wellbeing service tailored for young people
- Financial aid for those in need
- 24/7 access to the Retail Trust’s wellbeing helpline
This broader, more inclusive approach reflects a growing recognition that employee wellbeing extends beyond the workplace and into the home.
Tackling rising challenges in retail
The partnership is underpinned by concerning data from the Retail Trust’s latest Retail People Index, which highlights declining wellbeing across the sector. Notably, nearly half of retail workers reported experiencing verbal or physical abuse on a weekly basis.
To help address these challenges, Currys employees will also benefit from:
- Free training to manage and respond to abuse at work
- Online tools to build confidence and resilience
- Enhanced safety measures across stores, including improved CCTV and incident reporting systems
Together, these initiatives aim to create safer, more supportive environments for frontline staff.
Using data and AI to drive smarter wellbeing strategies
A key feature of the partnership is access to the Retail Trust’s generative AI-powered wellbeing dashboard. This platform will enable Currys to:
- Identify emerging mental health trends across its workforce
- Monitor the effectiveness of wellbeing initiatives in real time
- Benchmark performance against industry standards
- Demonstrate the financial impact of wellbeing investment
This data-driven approach reflects a wider shift among employers towards more proactive and measurable wellbeing strategies.
Building on a strong culture of care
Currys has already demonstrated strong engagement levels among its workforce, with its latest colleague survey placing it in the top 3% of companies globally for engagement.
Paula Coughlan, Chief People, Communications and Sustainability Officer at Currys, said the partnership builds on this foundation:
“It’s another meaningful step forward and builds on the culture of care, trust and support across Currys. My hope is that this makes a real difference for our colleagues and their families, whenever life throws something their way.”
Chris Brook-Carter, CEO of the Retail Trust, added that the collaboration will help create healthier workplaces while giving leaders better insight into employee needs.
A growing movement across the retail sector
Currys is the latest major employer to partner with the Retail Trust, joining organisations such as Poundland and Mountain Warehouse, while bp recently extended its partnership with the charity.
This growing momentum signals a broader shift within retail, as employers increasingly prioritise employee wellbeing as both a moral responsibility and a business imperative.
The bigger picture: from support to strategy
The Currys and Retail Trust partnership highlights an important evolution in workplace wellbeing. Rather than relying on standalone initiatives, organisations are moving towards more integrated approaches that combine:
- Practical support services
- Preventative wellbeing strategies
- Data-driven insights
- Cultural and organisational change
As challenges within the retail sector continue to intensify, partnerships like this demonstrate how employers can take meaningful action to protect and support their people – both inside and outside of work.
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