How Theatro is Helping Retailers Protect Their Employees 

The Evolving Role of Technology in Retail Safety

Safety in stores has never been more top of mind for shoppers and frontline employees alike. With incidents of retail crime and workplace violence on the rise, major retailers are stepping up their efforts to protect employees and customers. Walmart, among others, recently announced that some employees will wear body cameras in stores to enhance security. Body cameras can themselves serve as a strong deterrent to theft and personal threats during an incident. According to a study by the National Institute of Justice, body cameras can lead to a 47% reduction in workplace violence incidents, because retailers act to protect their employees . Walmart’s decision reflects a broader industry trend of leveraging technology to improve store safety and protect frontline workers. 

Panic buttons, such as those mandated by New York’s Retail Worker Safety Act, can be another useful tool but have their limitations—employees must physically press them, which may be impractical or dangerous in high-stress situations. Retailers will need to rely on a variety of different tools to ensure they are able to empower their front-line associates with the ability to raise the alarm themselves and ask for support, deter crime or threats before they occur, respond appropriately in real time, and follow up with the proper reporting and action after the fact. 

Safety as a Competitive Advantage, and How Retailers Protect Their Employees  

As retailers explore new safety technologies, they must think beyond single-use solutions. True security requires a holistic approach—one that combines real-time communication, proactive threat prevention, and seamless coordination between store teams and leadership. 

Investing in safety isn’t just about compliance—it’s about business success. Employees who feel safe are more engaged and productive, reducing turnover and improving customer service. Meanwhile, shoppers are more likely to return to stores where they feel safe and comfortable. Theatro’s Mobile Communication Platform integrates with existing security measures to provide a seamless voice activated and real-time communication safety solution, ensuring that workers can alert and respond swiftly, discreetly, and effectively in any situation. 

A Proactive and Discreet Safety Solution for Retailers to Protect Their Employees

Between 2019 and 2023, the NRF said that retailers experienced a 93% increase in the average number of shoplifting incidents per year, and 91% of retailers stated shoplifters were exhibiting more violence and aggression during the same period. In-store crime incidents are not only becoming much more frequent, they’re becoming much more violent and dangerous. Because of this, the impetus is on the stores to upgrade their tools to better protect their frontline. 

Theatro’s Personal Safety Alert provides an effective solution by allowing employees to discreetly signal for help without drawing attention to themselves. Through Theatro’s voice-activated system, workers can use a simple code word to notify store leadership that they feel unsafe—without needing to physically press a button or operate a visible device. This ensures that employees can call for assistance from anywhere in the store, reducing response times and mitigating risks before a situation escalates. 

For large-scale emergencies—such as active shooters, chemical spills, or severe weather—Theatro’s Urgent Safety Notification ensures that every employee is instantly informed. With the ability to pause all communications and relay critical instructions, Theatro enables frontline teams to coordinate responses efficiently, keeping everyone informed in real-time. 

When combined and integrated with pre-existing safety measures such as security cameras, panic buttons, body cameras, or security protection teams, the Personal Safety Alert and Urgent Safety Notification help to cover any gap in protection your stores may have. 

Ready to Elevate Your Store’s Safety? 

Creating a safe environment in retail stores yields significant mental, health, financial, and business benefits. Theatro’s Mobile Communication Platform and dedicated Associate Safety & Security Suite were built specifically with the needs of retailers and their frontline teams in mind. Theatro has the power to connect every employee, integrate with existing store security systems and generative AI platforms, and automatically trigger security alerts during an ORC incident.  

Interested in learning more about how you can improve your in-store safety? Reach out to our sales team today—we’d love to show you how Theatro is helping organizations create a safer shopping environment than ever before by Investing in Store Safety!   

Connect with Theatro today to schedule a demo or learn more!  

About Theatro

Theatro was acquired by Motorola Solutions in 2025, and is now part of its ecosystem of safety and security technologies.

Theatro’s software-as-a-service platform, purposefully designed for frontline workers, provides a suite of collaboration applications that deliver information in real time to help improve their productivity and physical safety.

About Motorola Solutions

Safety and security are at the heart of everything we do at Motorola Solutions. We build and connect technologies to help protect people, property and places.

Our technologies support public safety agencies and enterprises alike, enabling the collaboration that’s critical for safer communities, safer schools, safer hospitals and safer businesses.

Learn more about our commitment to innovating for a safer future for us all at www.motorolasolutions.com.