Workplace Violence

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• Workplace Violence

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Video

• Human Behavior is like bringing water to a boil
• People dont snap
• Supervisors were not hired to be detectives,
  security experts, or psychologists.
• Gavin de Becker
• Park Dietz
• Gerry Smith

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Types/Examples

• Intimidation/bullying
• Obscene Language
• Obscene Gestures
• Shouting
• Threats of non-physical acts
• Minimal Harassment
• Physical harm, etc.

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General Statistics

• More Americans are Murdered at work than die at
  work from any other cause.
• Began generating concerns in early 1990s
• No statistics existed, no breakdowns, very little
  information.
• Research estimates range from 70 Million to 200
  Million annually.

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Extent of the Problem

• Murder OSHA reports 1,000 workplace deaths per
  year, other estimates as high as 1,500 per year.
• Assaults OSHA estimates 2 Million per year,
  other estimates as high as 10 Million per year.
• Sexual Assaults OSHA estimates 51,000 per year,
  other estimates as high as 500,000 per year.

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Growth of the problem Why?

• Unheard of until 1970s
• Has grown since then 3X

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Contributing Factors

• Social Issues
• Substance Abuse
• Illegal Drugs
• Layoffs
• Poverty
• Company Downsizing
• Reorganization
• Reengineering
• Increased Demand on Employee

• Language and Ethnic Differences Among Workers
• Acceptance of Violence as a form of Communication
  by a Large Segment of Society.
• Desensitized Society
• Excessive Violent Society

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Economics of Workplace Violence

• Legal Litigation
• Lawsuits
• Legal Expenses
• Loss of Productivity
• People may take time off
• Crime Scene Issues

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Economics of Workplace Violence

• Turnover/Morale
• People might quit
• Working in Fear
• Damage Control
• Public Relations
• Reestablish Credibility

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Four Categories of Workplace Violence

• Criminal Intent (Type I)
• The perpetrator has no legitimate relationship to
  the business or its employees, and is usually
  committing a crime in conjunction with the
  violence. These crimes can include robbery,
  shoplifting, and trespassing. The vast majority
  of workplace violence homicides (85 Percent) fall
  into this category.

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Four Categories of Workplace Violence

• Customer/Client (Type II)
• The perpetrator has a legitimate relationship
  with the business and becomes violent while being
  served by the business. This category includes
  customers, clients, patients, students, inmates,
  and any other group for which the business
  provides services.

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Four Categories of Workplace Violence

• Worker on Worker (Type III)
• The perpetrator is an employee or past employee
  of the business who attacks or threatens another
  employee or past employee in the workplace.
  Worker on worker fatalities account for
  approximately 7 percent of all workplace violence
  homicides.

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Four Categories of Workplace Violence

• Personal Relationship (Type IV)
• The perpetrator usually does not have a
  relationship with the business but has a personal
  relationship with the intended victim. This
  category includes victims of domestic violence
  assaulted or threatened while at work.

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Protecting Workers from Violence

• No one Solution
• Create Committee with Representation of all
  Sections in the Organization
• The Program must have support and endorsement of
  Top Management
• Chairperson of the committee must be an executive
  higher than the participating department heads or
  an experienced consultant.
• MIT

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Prevention Opportunities

• New Hire Practices
• Background Checks (42 have issues)
• Interviews

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Prevention Opportunities

• Firing/Termination Procedures
• Have Policy/Procedure
• Beginning or End of Shift
• Statement of Fact, Not a Discussion
• Paperwork all in the Same Room
• Dignity Preservation
• Future Communication
• Violence Issues should be Reported

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Prevention Opportunities

• Employee Education
• Must Educate Employees
• Clearly Stated Policy
• Awareness Training
• Grievance Procedure
• People Must Trust Confidentiality

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Preincident Indicators

• Use of Drugs
• Absenteeism
• Comments about Guns
• Apathy for Violent Offenders
• Domestic Problems
• Company Policy Violations
• Rage/Outbursts
• Threatens People
• Comments about Suicide
• Frequent Physical Complaints

• Resistance to Change
• Instable Emotional Problems
• Suspected paranoid behavior
• Preoccupation with violent incidents
• Mood Swings
• Withdrawal
• Hygiene Issues
• Plan to Solve all Problems

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Workplace Violence Offender Profile

• White Male
• 35-45 YOA
• Migratory Job History
• Loner, no family
• Chronic Disgruntled Always Someone Elses Fault

• More than Casual Drug Use
• Keen Interest in Firearms
• Criticism is received Poorly
• Identifies with Violence
• Externalizes Blame Rarely Accepts it