Preventing Violence in the Workplace

Robert Pater, SSA/MoveSMART Director

The Problem

Disturbing tales of violence saturate the news, but now they're exploding into the workplace. Homicide is the leading cause of occupational death among women and the second cause of on-the-job fatalities overall.

According to the American Management Association, nearly one-quarter of companies surveyed reported one of their workers attacked or killed on the job since 1990. Another 31% reported threats against their employees.

According to a July 1993 study by Northwestern National Life:

1 out of 4 workers has been attacked, threatened or harassed on the job.
2 million have been attacked in the last year, 6.3 million have been threatened, 16.1 million have been harassed.
15% said they have been attacked at some time in their working life.
21% said a coworker had been threatened with physical harm in the past year.
Physical attacks were twice as likely to come from a customer as from a coworker or stranger.
1 out of 6 attacks were with a lethal weapon.
Harassment was more psychologically damaging than physical attacks and resulted in comparable levels of injury or illness. Harassment targets were more than twice as likely to not report the incident.

Recognize that fear and stress are real threats. Although growing alarmingly, the odds of homicide are still small, but, according to the above study, there are considerable incidents of workplace assaults, threats and intimidation. Employees' concerns about personal vulnerability can, at the least, lower their productivity and morale, diverting attention from other important safety concerns.

It's important to perceive violence as a continuum that includes a complex set of problems ranging from verbal pressure to threats to physical assault.

Why Workplace Violence?

There is no one reason why workplace violence appears to be increasing. Corporations are paring down employees. Joseph Kinney, with the National Safe Workplace Institute, said, "Often the motive [for workplace violence] is revenge by people who have been dismissed, laid off, or even just demoted."
Both personal and work stress appears to be high for many people. Survivors of downsizing report working harder than in the past. There is also increased global competition markets and local competition for jobs in many sectors.
Many people appear to be disconnected from their communities; perhaps this is related to the fact that our society has become much more mobile.
Funds for treating mental illness have been reduced; many people who would previously been in treatment or hospitalized are now walking the street without professional intervention.
In our milieu of time famine, poor communication--especially between managers and supervisors to employees--abounds.
Overall, there appears to be less social stability and supports.
Some people seem more willing to act out violence. Some would argue that graphic displays of violence on television and in the movies might "give permission" for some to act out. Also, media coverage of previous attacks might give some the "fame" motive for seeking attention.
Some would argue that there is greater availability of weapons. Gunshots account for approximately three-quarters of occupational homicides.
Supervisors are working thinner. Because supervisors are working under great performance pressure, many ignore the problem of workplace violence (often shifting potentially violent employees to a second shift "dumping ground" to fester). Others, not trained or ill-trained in safety communication skills, are overly confrontational, potentially pushing people unnecessarily. Many don't know how to utilize employee assistance programs or don't have access to one.

Obstacles to Preventing Workplace Violence

Besides weak supervision, there are several organizational factors that can inadvertently block successful prevention of workplace violence.
Even discussing workplace violence can be an uncomfortable topic for many top managers, one that is preferable to avoid. And lack of good data may prove an obstacle in convincing top management to implement a workplace violence prevention program.
Current employees' expectations of privacy can appear to be trampled by any program that focuses on early reporting of possible acting-out people.
ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) may make it difficult, if not impossible, to screen out new hires with a history of mental problems.
Fear of litigation may prevent companies from taking an active stand. For example, many human resource departments no longer will discuss former employees' records with another company considering hiring. The old employer is afraid of being sued for a variety of reasons. Some believe that our court systems appear to uphold privacy over public protection.
Bargaining units can be protective of their members rights--even when such employees may prove to be a potential threat to co-workers.
Lacking legal standards makes it difficult to convince decision-makers of many companies to act proactively. Sometimes fear of not being in compliance can be a motivator to prevention.
Some managers are plainly overwhelmed with the scope of safety issues with which they must contend. They report not having time nor resources to work towards violence prevention.
Many professionals just don't know what to do.

Changing the Paradigm

Traditionally, organizations have relied upon one of three approaches to prevent workplace violence. Each has its strengths and limitations.

Security is the first approach. Relying on traditional security for prevention is useful in certain ways. The general rule here is to restrict access (by screening for weapons, bullet-proof glass, office configurations that make it difficult for a potential attacker to reach his or her target) or to light up areas (parking lots and other places where a potential attacker might lay in wait). Another part of this approach is to position security guards to provide an atmosphere of protection.

But, as several organizations have sadly discovered, Security alone has its limits. Shielding employees from clients can also disrupt customer relations. Attacks that come from within are not easily prevented--both the attacker and target are on the same side of the bullet-proof glass. And some organizations have discovered that most security services are ill-trained in personal protection; their orientation and training focuses on protection of company property.

A second "typical" approach relies on traditional communications methods. An academic approach to conflict resolution can be quite useful; however, this paradigm generally assumes rationality. Experience shows it is not possible to reason with some people or at least with some who are out of control. Sometimes, the best thing is to be silent and not "feed" a potential attacker.

Human resources rules and procedures is the third method frequently used to prevent workplace violence. Strategic methods of hiring and firing, for example, can go a long way to preventing some from erupting. However, by themselves, rules and procedures won't affect those determined to act out.

The key is to use the strong parts of each of the three above paradigms, not get locked into one approach at the expense of the others. With a strategic system, you can better protect your employees and prevent your organization from becoming publicly victimized.
Preparation is the key. Preparation must be realistic, combining employee relations, practical security procedures and training in streetwise conflict communication skills. A strong approach protects employees while simultaneously enabling them to boost their productivity and quality.

Six Safety Nets for Organizational Self-Defense

There are six organizational safety nets you can apply to help prevent and reduce workplace violence. As violent episodes can be complex and unpredictable, it is important to have a range of protection options. It may be impossible to predict in advance which one you will need.

1. Hiring/Transfers

Include violence prevention information in all new employee orientations.
When possible, consider creating a legal and acceptable method for drug testing or screening.
When selecting new employees, make assiduous attempts to check references. Read between the lines. Ask potential new-hires for actual examples of how they have resolved conflict in the past.
When firing or transferring employees, be sure to communicate with the respect you would wish for yourself.

2. Policies and Procedures

Create a "zero tolerance" statement, that violence of any kind will not be tolerated. That even joking about violence will be taken seriously.
Develop realistic policies regarding customers that will defuse potential anger in advance. Such policies might include: return policies and guarantees, bottom line/response (is the customer always right?) and how to alert co-workers about potentially risky customers.
Also, develop--and publicize--policies about weapons, positive discipline, termination with dignity, drugs and medications, selecting and best using security services, violence "drills," identifying a threat management focal point, creating a system of peer defusers (like some schools have for their students), dealing with hostage situations, a "tactical incident file" to prepare police for possible intervention, and communicating with the media in the event of an incident

3. Supports

Enlist the services of an able Employee Assistance Program. Ask them to let you know when they see increased levels of domestic violence reports (without, of course, their breaking confidentiality).
Get your Human Resources department in on a prevention strategy. Ask them what they recommend and how they can help.
Find other public and community counseling and referral that might help.
Use assessment surveys to determine the perception of violence exists among current staff.
When downsizing, make use of professional outplacement services that ease "displaced" employees into new jobs, with support.
Consider creating a hotline for reporting incidents of harassment or attack.

4. Design

Design offices for both cover and concealment. "Cover" provides actual protection from a weapon, such as a bullet. "Concealment" is anything that a potential target can hide behind to escape being seen. When planned strategically, office decor can serve the dual functions of being aesthetically pleasing and offering cover or concealment.
Design escape routes so employees can get away quickly and not be easily cornered.
Create a signal system of lighting or buzzing that will alert others there is a potential for attack.
Some organizations provide hidden phones (in closets, etc) that employees can use to dial 911 or police in the event of an incident.
Make sure lighting levels make it difficult for someone to hide in darkness, waiting for an employee in the parking lot, on stairs, etc.

5. Train Supervisors

Train supervisors in how to: identify potential attackers (profiles), early warning signs of attacks, organizational policies for preventing violence, how to minimize the fallout of change/loss/stress, how and when to confront employees (and when not to), options and strategies for referring employees to Human Resources or the Employee Assistance Program, how to handle employee complaints positively, defusing conflict between others verbally and nonverbally (third party mediation), how to support subordinates and follow-up after an incident, how to deal with hostage situations, what to do about weapons, legalities of trespassing and anti-stalking laws, how to listen to defuse anger and communicating with others who are culturally diverse.

6. Training Employees

Train staff to take personal control early. Employees can learn a 4 Step Plan for this.
Of course, staff should know about organizational policies and procedures for preventing violence by customers and co-workers.
Develop training in violence prevention and communication skills. Because many workplace attacks are displaced relationship problems, train employees in effective methods of personal communication (even in how to successfully terminate an unwanted relationship).
Help employees see and better employ a range of options (warning signs of danger, personal protective options, escape dynamics, defusing threat and intimidation, etc.). By using a See-Decide-Act model, workers can better assess potential problems and make better strategic violence-prevention choices.
Workers should know how about services offered by an Employee Assistance Program and how to access these services.
Attitudinally, it is critical that employees de-victimize themselves; they can be trained in methods that will help raise self-esteem and demonstrate that it is the choices that they make that can protect them--or make them more vulnerable.
Training in "versatile communications" will enable staff to successfully deal with a wider range of customers and co-workers, with less likelihood of setting off an incident.
Employees should also be appraised of local anti-stalking laws and how other legal provisions might afford them a measure of protection.
If your employees can handle current exposure to workplace violence, prevention training need not take a long time. It can be woven into customer service training or other training in conflict management and communication skills.
There are a variety of nonverbal techniques that employees can learn for dealing with physically aggressive individuals. With proper use of these techniques, employees can maintain their professional role and even boost customer and peer relations. This training shouldn't create defensive employees.
Consider providing specific training to some specialized staff with higher exposure. These include: those working with money, field staff and those who frequently travel.
People can learn techniques--developed from the martial arts--of reducing their attack-ability.
Develop a code system--and train staff on its use--whereby code terms can be used to check out an out-of-sight event. Such a system should minimize hostage situations and numbers of employees exposed to attack.
Employees can also learn how to support each other and spell one another after an upsetting episode.

Conclusion

In these complex times, we need sophisticated yet practical strategies.

See what exposures your organization really has. Plan how to recover from difficult situations. Deal with problems at the lowest possible level.

By employing the six violence-prevention Safety Nets, you can simultaneously protect your people while reducing employee fear and organizational exposure.

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