Workplace violence can take many forms and can occur anywhere on the job or outside a workplace. Mental harassment and verbal abuse on the job can escalate to physical violence and even homicide. Workplace violence is often associated with dangerous jobs such as those in the police, security, and mental health. However, violence can strike any employee anywhere, at any time.
Risk Factors of Workplace Violence
A job at greater risk for workplace violence is usually one that somehow deals with the public at large. Here are a few work situations that would raise the risk of abuse, assault, and other types of violent crime:
- Handling money for people, such as bank tellers or small store owners
- Any job where an employee works alone, especially on off hours
- Jobs in high crime areas and large cities
- Health care jobs in which employees work directly with the public
- Public transportation workers such as taxi drivers
- Psychiatric workers, drug/alcohol/abuse councilors, social workers
- Prison employees
- Any job that requires home visits, repairmen, mail carriers
- Extensive job travel
Causes of Job Violence
There are many reasons why workplace violence may occur to anyone, even those employees that wouldn’t ordinarily be at risk. Some possible causes for violence on the job are:
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- Gambling addiction and debt
- Financial stress that can be caused by credit card debt or investments gone bad
- Job loss or threatened loss of work, disgruntled employee
- Mental illness
- Family crises such as terminal illness, divorce, or loss of loved one
- Domestic violence and abuse outside of work
- Job strain or disagreement with coworker
Violence may occur in the workplace by those that are not even employed there. Violence could be caused by the following situations that are unrelated to the job:
- Robbery
- Disgruntled customer
- Abusive spouse, partner, or acquaintance of a current employee
Prevention of Violence in the Workplace
To prevent violence from happening in the workplace, employers may want to hire an outside firm to help with harassment training. Employers will also want to put in place a set of stringent rules and consequences for unacceptable behavior. Additionally, there should be an established plan for employees to report any instances of abuse occurring during work hours. These combined steps will form the basis of an effective workplace violence program.
During training sessions of a workplace violence program, employees should be taught how to handle bullying and potentially violent assault. As part of any workplace violence training program, the following tips should be included:
- Stay calm and confident during an argument
- Use common courtesy during conversations and don’t interrupt
- Listen attentively and politely
- Be respectful of others and acknowledge their feelings
- Help frustrated people with their issues by listing choices, breaking down large projects
- Accept criticism tactfully
- No physical contact with coworkers
- Be aware of body language
- Take a break to calm down, visit the lavatory or to get a cup of water
- Be honest about the work that can be accomplished, and the work that cannot
- Be aware of all exits when dealing with a confrontation
- Keep supervisors aware of any potentially violent situations
- Take all threats of violence seriously
- Document incidents of verbal abuse and bullying
Workplace violence is a serious issue and can grow into a potentially dangerous situation very quickly if not diffused. Employees should know the risk factors and causes of violence in the workplace, and take steps to help prevent it from occurring by attending personal safety training programs. Employers should take any reports of violence seriously and establish effective workplace violence programs to keep their employees safe.
Further reading:
College students may want to learn how to stay safe on a college campus.
Source:
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)
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