hat in the week following an occurrence of violence there is an 80% decrease in productivity. Investigations conducted by authorities or insurance companies regarding the violence are very likely to distract employees at work and take them off task, again reducing productivity. Another cost of violence stems from the affect that the violence had on the employees at the business. Typically, businesses that are recovering from a violent incident experience high employee turnover immediately after the episode. Also, the company may receive bad publicity, which has the potential to drive away would-be customers (Lenius 1). All these factors can hurt a company financially, as well as hurt the morale of the employees.Preventing workplace violence should be a top priority for any employer. There are several steps that can be taken to dramatically reduce the incidence of violence in the work environment. Enhancing security measures is the first step. Employers should be sure that the area outside the business, such as the parking lot, is extremely well lit. This will discourage violent attacks occurring in such an isolated location. Silent alarms and surveillance cameras should be installed throughout a business to help ensure the safety of employees, also. In addition, limiting work done during “high-risk” hours, late at night and early morning, reduces the chance of violence occurring in the work environment (Hassler 595). The Security Industry Association also suggests that companies “restrict or monitor entry or movement of employees and visitors with access controls, such as card keys…” (Lenius 2). The second step to preventing violence is to improve employee-screening techniques that are used in the hiring process. Employers must utilize a thorough background investigation and should request candidates to complete a detailed application. Businesses need to be sure to check a potential employee&#...
