Workplace Violence - A Reality of Real Proportions - Article

By Felix P Nater

Since 1989 statistics and surveys generated by the American Society of Safety Engineers, Pinkerton, the Conference Board and other prominent organizations have consistently reported that workplace violence was a workplace security threat. In the years following September 11, 2001, Workplace Violence remained in the top three categories of workplace security concerns: Workplace Violence, Business Continuity, Terrorism and Computer-Based Crimes in that order. If workplace violence is truly a concern, can we imply by the data that companies are in denial or lack the resources to address the threat? On June 26, 2008, I was a presenter at a Business Continuity Conference on Workplace Violence. Of the 120 attendees present, only 3 raised their hands indicating that they believed their companies had a specific Workplace Violence Prevention Policy and only 6 indicated that they had Business Continuity Plans. Are we dedicating adequate resources? Is education a factor? Can we defend our actions?

Does Your Firm Have a specific policy on Workplace Violence Prevention?

Could the lack of a coordinated response be the real threat to workplace safety in preventing workplace violence or has the discussion of probability justified no response or a limited response? I reluctantly say I think so. Though the decision to commit resources is certainly a thoughtful one, can a misunderstanding of what constitutes incidents of workplace violence be at the head of the discussion?

In reviewing employee handbooks on misconduct, a lack of specific references on the topic of workplace violence is evident. Often times relative references appear in different section throughout the handbooks without any specific mention or a dedicated section to workplace violence. Either the contributors to such handbooks are misinformed or just defining the behavior as "misconduct" under an umbrella clause? Whatever the reason(s), employees do not know what to report or why they are being cited. Could it be that no one on staff knows what constitutes workplace violence?

In recent shooting incidents in Concord, North Carolina and Henderson, KY, both incidents cried out for prevention awareness measures long before the occurrences. In the Concord, North Carolina Murders, the assailant entered the facility to commit a robbery, instead, he killed two employees and escaped. In the Henderson, KY shootings, the assailant a 25 year old employee had apparently been arguing with his supervisor right before he shot himself and committed suicide. Were these incidents preventable? One familiar with prevention strategies be in a better position to recognize the need and begin applying solutions. While the denial might be an unintentional corporate shortcoming, I submit that employers are concerned but lack both the awareness and the technical expertise. What can we do?

Applying Basic Strategies Might Help To Reduce the Threat.

Because most workplaces are unique, we recommend that you avoid the cookie-cutter mentality to deploying Workplace Security & Workplace Violence Prevention Strategies. When the approach is based on attempting to apply the cookie-cutter approach, one will miss the value of conducting unique work-site assessments that might not yield relevant vulnerabilities to your specific environment. The cookie-cutter approach in applying best practices do not always work. Basic strategies might not work without applying unique site-specific assessments and customized approaches.

All is not lost, because even with a little effort there are steps you can take to begin the process of identifying your unique characteristics and needs. May I suggest you begin the process with a site assessment, employee and management surveys, risk assessment, training, developing a policy and supporting programs and sustaining the effort with ongoing training and new employee orientations. When considering whether to begin the process of deploying a Workplace Violence Prevention Program or not, begin with a critical vulnerability assessment of your own business practices. When was the last time you conducted an assessment of your workplace security and business practices?

Can you survive the scrutiny of an OSHA complaint inquiry or a civil liability lawsuit? I would begin the process now rather than later. Having a demonstrated commitment can bolster credibility and create confidence in employees who otherwise have private discussions about where they might hide when the shooter comes in. Or why should I report a potential threat and have my job changed in the interest of safety? In many cases, both sides are mutually sharing the excuse of, "if its not broke don't fix it".

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Article Source: BusinessTrainingMedia.com