Workplace Violence

The Alliance Against Workplace Violence (AAWPV) will commemorate the month of April, 2014, as Workplace Violence Awareness Month. This will be the third year that a national observance of workplace violence awareness is being held. The organization encourages employers to help raise awareness of violence in the workplace and to take steps to help prevent it from happening in your organization. This week's articles should help you with that goal and also with creating your own plan for violence prevention.

This useful and practical guide from the FBI is aimed at helping businesses, small and large, and government in implementing a proactive workplace violence prevention strategy. (Item #1)   The National Center for Victims of Crime has released new statistics on violence in the workplace. (Item #2)   The key to preventing the escalation of workplace violence is to be alert and vigilant to any early signs of conflict. (Item #3)  

Workplaces must stay vigilant by enforcing their own workplace human resources/security policies. (Item #4)   While policies and raising awareness can't completely insulate any nonprofit from the risk of workplace violence, incorporating some of the recommendations in this article can help. (Item #5)   If there has been violence in your workplace, mental health resources are a must. (Item #6)  

As always, we look forward to hearing your comments & insights regarding business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like us to cover, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp

1. Workplace Violence: Issues in Response

Workplace violence is now recognized as a specific category of violent crime that calls for distinct responses from employers, law enforcement, and the community. This recognition is relatively recent. Prior to the 1986 postal shootings, the few research and preventive efforts that existed were focused on particular issues -- patient assaults on health care workers and the high robbery and murder risks facing taxi drivers and late-night convenience store clerks. The majority of incidents that employees/managers have to deal with on a daily basis are lesser cases of assaults, domestic violence, stalking, threats, harassment (to include sexual harassment), and physical and/or emotional abuse that make no headlines.
http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/workplace-violence

2. Workplace Violence Statistics

Millions of workers experience violence or the threat of violence in their workplaces every year. These crimes range from physical assaults to robbery and homicide. Although the numbers of such crimes have significantly declined in recent years, workplace violence is the second-leading cause of occupational injury. Workers in certain occupations -- such as nurses, utility workers, taxi drivers, letter carriers, and especially those who work alone or at night -- are particularly vulnerable. Unlike other crimes, the greatest proportions of these crimes are committed by strangers. The majority of workplace homicides are shootings committed by robbers. Decreasing the occurrence of these crimes is a growing concern for employers and employees nationwide.
http://www.victimsofcrime.org/library/crime-information-and-statistics/workplace-violence

3. Is Your Workplace Prepared For Violence?

I'm not equating workplace violence with 9/11, which was an orchestrated terrorist attack on the United States. Workplace violence, on the other hand, is often the work of one deranged, rage-filled individual. Both strike fear into our hearts. And while there is little we can do as leaders and managers to stop terrorists, there are steps that can be taken to lessen the odds of workplace violence and create better disaster preparedness plans in our organizations and our lives.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2013/09/08/is-your-workplace-prepared-for-violence/

4. Ten Ways to Prevent Workplace Violence Escalation

Combating workplace violence as we know it is complex and requires management commitment, investment and understanding of what it takes to provide resources in protecting the workforce against threats posed by disgruntled employees, domestic violence spillover into the workplace, and customer-, client- or patient-related violence. Traditional approaches have always relied on the HR departments to be the policy implementer. However, as recent workplace homicides indicate, having proactive workplace violence prevention and violence response plans will ensure a better coordination between security and human resources.
http://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/84013-ways-to-prevent-workplace-violence-escalation

5. Zero Tolerance for Workplace Violence

Workplace safety is one of those better-safe-than-sorry areas of management where prevention is critical. Although an organization's hiring and supervision policies appear to preclude violent behavior in the workplace, early intervention helps prevent more serious acts. Instituting a zero tolerance for workplace violence policy sends a clear message to all involved that in your nonprofit there are consequences for violent actions.
http://www.nonprofitrisk.org/library/articles/workplace-safety050607.shtml

6. After Workplace Violence Incident, Mental Health Resources a Must

Physical attacks on employees are rare but when they happen, employers should be ready to provide psychiatric resources for victims as they work to cope with trauma. Violent incidents involving customers, co-workers or outside aggressors can leave workers who have experienced or witnessed attacks with depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder. As they seek to help traumatized employees, companies can turn to specialty insurance coverages to pay for counseling. Whether they have coverage or not, experts advise employers to be ready to provide the resources employees need.
http://www.workforce.com/articles/after-workplace-violence-incident-mental-health-resources-a-must