How to prevent violence in the workplace
1. Quotable quote
"Key research findings demonstrate a strong relationship between job stress and workplace harassment and violence. Substance abuse, layoffs, societal issues, and financial insecurity all contribute to the problem. Violence prevention programs and crisis response planning help reduce not only the possibility of workplace violence, but also reduce employee anxiety and improve productivity."
2. Don't forget
Why violence occurs:
Very few people engage in violence for the sake of violence. In most cases, aggression and abuse in the workplace result from escalating frustration over a short time span. There are many instances where staff and customers can start to get angry, frustrated, even violent:
- Being kept waiting
- Unhelpful staff attitudes
- Mindless bureaucracy and red tape
- Invasion of privacy
- Feeling aggrieved (bypassed for promotion, treated unfairly, in receipt of shoddy product or service, etc)
- Alcohol.
3. Don't forget
Employers may be liable.
According to the Australian Institute of Criminology, bosses should formally record all cases of workplace abuse, threats and bully-ing, and conduct regular staff surveys to identify potential security risks. …
