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Back to Subjects - Social Issues

Workplace Violence

Workplace Violence In today’s fast paced, stress riddled work environment it is no surprise that the workplace can become a foreground for violence. Employers must be extra careful when hiring and firing employees and stay aware with what is happening in the work environment that surrounds them. Extra precautions must be taken to ensure the safety of all employees in the workplace. Too many times employers do not take the proper steps in preventing workplace violence and the consequences are disastrous. Violence on the job or even after hours can take a very negative toll on an entire business. In order to prevent danger in the workplace, employers must know how to identify potential violence and be familiar with the necessary steps to prevent it from happening. Violent acts in the workplace come from a diverse population of perpetrators. Employees, former employees, clients, strangers, and even employers are all potential sources of violent behavior. In most cases, the person responsible for workplace slayings fits a certain stereotype. The violent person is either an unhappy employee, a frustrated customer, or in some type of relationship with an employee in the company, and almost always a socially reclusive male (Chavez, Workplace 1). According to Larry J. Chavez, a hostage negotiator with the Sacramento Police Department, there are many factors that result in violent situations in the workplace. Lack of rules regarding conduct, lack of awareness about violence, and poor violence reporting procedures are all practices that contribute to violence in the workplace (Chavez, Organizational 1). A tyrannical or oppressive management approach is also very likely to cause harmful reactions among employees. Certain events in the workplace such as layoffs and downsizing, increased workloads, and hostility between employees and their employer very often result in harmful situations (Chavez, Organizational 2). Another cause of fatal workplace 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 café. He killed three of them, and also wounded two. He later shot himself. Shortly thereafter it was discovered that Calden had been fired from his previous job with another insurance company for bringing a handgun to work (Chavez, What 2). This case is a good example of how background checks are detrimental in providing safety in the workplace. Tracy Stevens was working at a bank in Ohio when one of her former employees began harassing her. Bank management warned her that the man was dangerous and she was offered security. However, she decided to wait and go to the police about the matter. On a Sunday afternoon, the day before she was to go to the police, the man harassing her came to her home and killed Tracy, her husband, and her four-month-old daughter. This man then drove to another town and shot and killed one other bank employee and wounded a second employee (Chavez, What 3). Had Tracy gone to the police on Friday when she was warned, this incident may not have taken place. Any form of harassment in the workplace needs to be reported immediately to ensure that it does not end in disaster. Workplace violence, fatal or not, can have bad repercussions for employers. Besides affecting the people of the business, employers can also be held liable. The employer can be charged with negligence, in that they hired or maintained someone who they should have recognized as having the potential to act in a violent manner (Hassler 594). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration say that employers are “required to provide employees with a reasonably safe working environment.” Employers violating this general duty are subject to lawsuits from victims of workplace violence. They may be charged with wrongful death or negligence (Lenius 2). Besides the millions of dollars spent in lawsuits after a violent act has occurred in the work environment, there are other costs related to this incident that will affect the business. Studies have shown that 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’s references and inquire about the applicants past behavior in the workplace (Hassler 595). Also, managers should be able to identify “high-risk” traits in the people they interview (Lenius 2). Asking such questions as “What frustrates you?” and “Who was your worst supervisor and why?” can alert interviewers to traits that may become dangerous (Hassler 595). A very important part of preventing workplace violence is to educate employees about the signs of potential violence, and train them on how to take action. Employees should be able to identify warning signs in an individual and know how to report these concerns to ensure that action is taken (Hassler 595). Providing employees with a way to report their concerns confidentially can encourage them to become more aware of the behavior of those with which they work (Lenius 2). Larry J. Chavez lists four “action items” for employers to follow in an effort to immediately begin safeguarding their organization against violence. First of all, employers should organize a team of both managers and employees to determine the business’ current strengths, and more importantly, their weaknesses. The team should come up with a way to address the weakness immediately. The next step to making a business safe is to encourage employees to use “their intellect and creativity” to make their workplace safe for themselves and those around them. Taking immediate action against those who act violently in the workplace is the next step for managers to protect their organization. It is also an important way for employers to prove to their subordinates that they care about their safety and will not tolerate any threats against it. The final step for an organization that is determined to protect themselves and their employees is to continually evaluate their program of prevention and fix anything that appears to be ineffective (Chavez, What 4). Workplace violence is not an idea; it is reality. Regardless of how large or small, no organization is immune to violence. It can occur in any business, to any class of workers, and in all aspects of the work environment. Although violence in the workplace cannot be eliminated, it can be minimized. Employers, as well as employees, must become increasingly aware of their surroundings in order to ensure safety for themselves and those with which they work. Only then can a business truly begin their journey to creating an environment that effectively promotes the well-being and safety of everyone involved. Bibliography: BIBLIOGRAPHY Chavez, Larry J. Organizational Factors Contributing to Workplace Violence. 7 Nov. 2000 . ---. Predictors of Violence by Individuals. 7 Nov. 2000 . ---. What Organizations and Individuals Have Done to Invite Workplace Violence. 6 Nov. 2000 . ---. Workplace Violence: An Overview. 7 Nov. 2000 . Dessler, Gary. Human Resource Management. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall, 2000. Lenius, Pat. “Workplace Violence is Growing Concern.” Contractor Oct. 1999. 7 Nov. 2000 .

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