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Incivility and aggression when dealing with the public

Waiting, refusals, misunderstandings: staff in contact with the public are increasingly exposed to incivility and aggression, both at the counter and on the telephone. This course gives reception, checkout and counter staff practical reflexes to prevent tension from escalating, defuse a difficult situation and protect themselves. It is based on role-plays drawn from real-life situations (town hall, CCAS (municipal social action centre), shop, pharmacy, branch office) and also covers the aftermath: raising the alert, reporting the incident and receiving support. It complements the course “Conflict management in the workplace”, which focuses on tensions between colleagues.

Course objectives

  • Distinguish between incivility, aggression and violence, and identify their causes in public-facing situations
  • Recognise the warning signs of rising tension
  • Adopt a posture and communication style that defuse tension
  • Apply de-escalation techniques when faced with an aggressive person
  • Apply the rules for protection, raising the alert and reporting after an incident

Who it is for

Audience

Reception and counter staff (town halls, CCAS, public services); Checkout and sales staff; Pharmacy, bank branch or insurance agency staff; Switchboard operators; Managers of teams in contact with the public; Municipal police officers and mediators

Prerequisites

No prerequisites.

Format

Face-to-face training, in our training rooms in Jarry or directly on your premises. A combination of theoretical input and practical role-plays, using the centre’s training equipment. People with disabilities are invited to inform us of any adaptation needs when registering.

Lead time

Registration is possible up to 48 hours before a scheduled session, subject to availability. For a session organised on your premises, allow approximately 15 days between your request and delivery.

Course content

  1. Sequence 1 – Understanding incivility and aggression in public-facing roles
    • Incivility, aggression, violence: definitions and differences
    • What triggers tension: waiting, refusals, misunderstanding, frustration, distress
    • Face-to-face reception and telephone reception: different risks
    • The framework: the employer’s safety obligation, functional protection of public officials (protection fonctionnelle)
  2. Sequence 2 – Preventing tension from escalating
    • Arranging the reception area and managing waiting times
    • Recognising verbal and non-verbal signs of rising tension
    • Announcing a refusal, a delay or bad news
    • The role of the team: taking over from one another, calling for back-up
  3. Sequence 3 – Defusing a tense situation
    • Posture, voice, eye contact and safe distance
    • Active listening, rephrasing and acknowledging emotions
    • Setting a framework and limits without escalation
    • Role-plays based on real-life scenarios: counter, telephone, checkout
  4. Sequence 4 – Protecting yourself and responding after the incident
    • Knowing when to end the exchange and get to safety
    • Raising the alert: internal procedure, back-up, police
    • Reporting the incident: log, declaration, filing a complaint
    • After the incident: support for the person exposed and lessons learned

Teaching team

The teaching team of the Centre National de Formation et de Prévention (CNFP) is made up of expert trainers and specialists with solid field experience and a thorough command of the regulatory frameworks applicable to their areas of expertise.

CNFP’s trainers are selected for their technical competence, their ability to pass on practical knowledge and their understanding of the professional realities of the trainees they teach.

The teaching team is committed to the continuous improvement of practices, regulatory monitoring and adaptation of content in order to guarantee the quality, relevance and effectiveness of its training courses.

Monitoring and assessment

Participant satisfaction rate

Attendance and course completion rate

Pass rate in final assessments

Level of achievement of learning objectives

These indicators are used to assess the effectiveness of the course and to feed into the continuous improvement approach.

Technical and teaching resources

Projected training materials

Role-play scenarios drawn from real-life situations

“Defusing” and “After the incident” quick-reference sheets given to participants

Case studies and group debriefings

Certification

Assessment

Attendance sheets signed per half-day

Monitoring of participants’ attendance

Formative assessments at each sequence (centre’s assessment grids)

Assessment of learning at the end of the course: role-play or case study assessed using a grid

Collection of the satisfaction survey

Issue of a certificate of completion

Analysis of feedback as part of a continuous improvement approach

Certification

This course does not lead to a professional certification. It leads to the issue of a CNFP training certificate.

Quality and results

New course: the first indicators specific to this course will be published after the first sessions.Across the centre, from 30 January to 10 September 2026: 112 satisfaction reviews collected from trainees, average score of 9.30/10, with 92.9% of scores at or above 8/10; assessment pass rate of 97.3% (181 passes out of 186 trainees assessed).These indicators are updated after each session and are available on request.

Accessibility

CNFP considers every request for adaptation in order to facilitate access to training for people with disabilities. A preliminary discussion makes it possible to assess needs and to consider, where possible, adapted arrangements.

Our disability lead reviews every request for adjustments: handicap@cnfp.fr

Interested in this course?

Session at your premises, dates to suit you, group size adapted.

RegisterContact us