situations stems from negligence on the part of supervisors and managers. Many times management fails to thoroughly check out the background of new employees. In addition, warning signs may have been ignored or simply overlooked by those in positions of authority. These types of mistakes end up being very costly (Chavez, What 2).There are certain traits that can be used to identify potential violence in employees. Someone who has an itinerant employment history, or unexplained gaps in that history, could possibly have problems with violence in the workplace. Also, employees who have a history of violence outside the workplace are very likely to carry that trait with them into their working environment. People who are paranoid, hold grudges, isolate themselves from others, cannot accept criticism, or have a disdain for authority possess traits that are synonymous with initiators of workplace violence (Chavez, Predictors 1). Warning signs, such as those listed above, cannot be ignored. To do so, could be deadly. Chavez states “85% of workplace violence incidents had clear warning signs” (Chavez, What 2). Because these signs are often overlooked, an average of 20 workers each week die in this country due to workplace-related assaults. Also, over 2 million people each year are victimized in some way by a violent crime occurring at work (Lenius 1). Violence in the workplace seems to affect women more so than men, as 39% of women who die at work were murdered, while only 18% of men who die on the job were victims of assault (Hessler 596).Work-related homicides can be aimed at employees and employers of any type of business. When Paul Calden was fired from his job at Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company in 1993, he warned his managers by saying “…You haven’t seen the last of me…” True to his word, Calden opened fire on eight managers while they ate lunch in a caf. He killed three of the...
