Workplace Violence

study fierceness is present in every nook and cranny of corporate America, affecting one thousand millions of Ameri commodes every year. Workplace strength is define by the Occupational refuge & Health Administration, OSHA, as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive air that occurs at the prevail site. It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide.In 2011, there were everyplace 2 two million reports and claims of piece of work violence, with 458 world homicides1. Workplace violence is at the forefront of everyones mind when a breaking news story is broadcast on the evening news, such as the new-fangled shootings in Santa Cruz, California by a disgruntled ex-cop, and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, but body of work violence pot strike anywhere and at any time, and is a major concern for employers and employees across America.There are different typ es of study violence, which fag be categorise as follows (1)violence by outsiders or nonemployees, usually in the attempt of a crime, such as robbery or shoplifting, (2)violence by a customer or a client, such as a student or a patient, (3)violence by employees and former employees, and (4)violence by domestic partners, such as boyfriends/girlfriends and husbands/wives. Such sorting finish overhaul in coming up with elbow rooms to prevent workplace violence since each type of violence requires a different show up to prevention, and reliable workplaces and environments may be at higher danger for certain types of violence.Although workplace violence jakes seem very random, there are certain industries and job categories that are more susceptible to violence than others. According to OSHA, certain factors croupe increase the risk of violence in the workplace, such as exchanging currency with the public, working with unstable people, and working where alcohol is served1. P eople working in certain establishments, such as retail stores and bars, are at increased risk of violence. Professions in law enforcement, health care, public service workers and those who work alone or in small groups are at greatest risk of violence.Managers role in identifying and reporting workplace violence. Every employee of an organization is responsible for providing a safe and secure environment to work in, and thus should be informal about workplace violence and be ready to act in advance to reduce the threat of violent incidents. Managers especially have a whacking duty to create sure that the work environment of their employees has minimal prove triggers, and that the department culture is one that is friendly and open, ensuring that employee safety is valued.Managers should follow their progressive flying field policy when addressing concerns with employees to prevent violent reactions by employees who feel that they have been treated unfairly. Managers should als o treat their employees with respect and decency, especially when disciplining or firing them, as depriving an employee of hauteur in front of other employees can trigger violent behavior. Most importantly, managers motivation to be trained on what clues to look for, and how to handle certain situations when confronted with specimen signs of workplace violence by employees.This will allow managers and subordinates to know the warning signs and report them to management accordingly. Sure there are people that suddenly break through and go off the deep end, but in most instances of workplace violence, there are certain signs of trouble that are exhibited by the perpetrator. According to Dr. Lynne McClure, an skilled in managing high-risk employee behaviors before they escalate to workplace violence, there are always warning signs involving workplace violence2.She puts these eight warning signs in the following categories prole behaviors employees act out their anger by yelling and shouting Fragmentor behaviors employees take no responsibility for their actions and blames others for their mistakes Me-First behaviors employees act selfishly without regard to fellow coworkers Mixed-Messenger behaviors employees talk positively but behave negatively Wooden-Stick behaviors employees are not receptive to change, and are inflexible and controlling Escape-Artist behaviors employees compulsively lie and rely on negative stress relievers such as drugs and gambling Shocker behaviors employees suddenly act in ways that are out of character Stranger behaviors employees are remote and have shortsighted social skills, and become fixated on an idea and/or an individual.There is no standard profile of a person who commits workplace violence, and by no content is someone a threat just because they display one of these traits. Employees that exhibit many of these traits, and with increasing intensity, may be a danger and may need some help. Being able to identify t hese signs and warning signals, and reporting it to management timely can help prevent a workplace violence incident. HRs role in managing and preventing workplace violence. Every reasonable employer wants to keep employees safe from workplace violence, but according to the potency of Labor Statistics, less than 30% of employers have a violence prevention policy in place3.Outlined below are some things that a human resource department can implement to mitigate workplace violence. hysteria Prevention Policy First and foremost, every company should implement a zero-tolerance policy against workplace violence, which clearly defines what workplace violence is, and the companys position on it. The policy must clearly outline which behaviors and actions are acceptable and which are unacceptable. The policy should state that violence of any kind is not tolerated and is grounds for immediate termination. Training Training for managers and employees to ensure that they know the warning s igns for violence is critical.There are many signs that can point to indications of imminent violent, so training the employees to recognize the warning signs can help stop a violent act by identifying the individual and providing assist before a violent act is committed. Each and every employee is responsible for creating a safe working environment, and it is HRs job to help employees deal the training necessary to manage a safe workplace. Hiring, retaining and firing HR plays a critical role in preventing violence in the workplace with its hiring, memory and firing practices. Usually, ago behavior can predict future behavior, so it is important that the HR department screen potential new hires carefully. One way to avoid workplace violence is by not hiring people who exhibit violent behavior. Thus, the HR department must conduct thorough background checks on all potential new hires.Companies should make it a general policy to run background checks on all applicants before hir ing them. HR departments must make a concerted effort to carefully screen all potential new hires by scrutinizing information on resumes and conducting reference checks. Also, HR can help prevent workplace violence by rooting out trouble-makers early. Retaining employees who have had behavioral issues in the past can expose a company to workplace violence and litigation. The HR department needs to be proactive with helping to identify employees that pose a potential danger thru through analysis of past work records. For example, if an employee has had issues with making threats or getting into confrontations with coworkers in the past, immediate ction may need to be taken before any major incident occurs. Finally, HR plays a big role in creating a peaceful environment when handling employee terminations. When an employee gets terminated, it is a very stressful event for the employee, and can push him/her over the edge. In order to ease the stress and alleviate some of the pressures on the employee being terminated, the HR department can help the situation by being compassionate and clearly explaining the reasons for the termination and allowing an opportunity to the employee to discuss any disagreement with the termination. Also, the HR department can provide placement or counseling services. lead an employee assistance program (EAP) there are many reasons that someone resorts to violence in the workplace, but some stem from issues outside of the workplace, such as family issues, financial troubles, or substance abuse problems. Employing an EAP can provide help to employees before a serious incident manifests itself in the workplace. Through the use of an EAP, employees can help manage their issues by coordinating with an objective, third party. All types of services should be offered, including counseling, anger management classes and rehabilitation services. Financial Impact of Workplace Violence Calculating the Cost Workplace violence is real, and with it comes real damages.The actual cost of workplace violence is hard to calculate, but per the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH, a division of the Center for Disease Control, it is estimated that workplace violence costs American businesses $121 billion a year4. This takes into account many factors, including costs due to addled productivity, loss of sales, increase in insurance premiums, litigation costs, lost time and absenteeism, workers compensation claims, medical claims, management distractions, negative PR, and organizational change initiatives. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics5 About 500,000 victims of violent crime in the workplace lose an estimated 1. 8 million workdays each year.This represents a $55 million impact as a result of loss of productivity and increased healthcare expenses Domestic violence costs businesses approximately $6 billion annually in healthcare costs, lost productivity, and missed work time The average out-of- court settlement for negligence litigation is approximately $500,000 and the average jury award is around $3 million For 6 to 18 weeks after an incident, there is a 50% decrease in productivity and a 20% to 40% turnover in employees The cost of recovery after a catastrophic, workplace violence incident is astronomical, so it is in every companys best interest to put in place the necessary preventive measures to avoid such incidents from happening in the first place.Unfortunately, most companies are reactive instead of proactive, so the costs associated with workplace violence may be viewed as the cost of doing business, big business at that. Everyone plays a role in preventing workplace violence. Even with workplace violence receiving increased attention, there is much work that needs to be done to understand the causes and potential solutions. Management, front line employees and the HR department must work together collectively to prevent the next workplace violence incident. The best practices set forth must be implemented and adhered to with perfection. A company cant guarantee that a violent act will never happen between their four walls, but there are preventive measures that can be taken to improve the chances of avoiding a workplace violence incident.