Workplace Violence: You can’t address it if you don’t hear about it


Written by Phil on March 25, 2010 in Crisis Management and Crisis Communication.

There have been quite a few workplace violence events in the media lately. It is a good time to remind people that workplace violence doesn’t usually “just happen.”

In certain workplaces the threat of violence from external parties is more prevalent that other places. Environments like hospitals, convenience stores, banks are more subject to threats from outside its employees. But other types of workplace violence such as employee violence often have precursor events that in hindsight make the threat very plain to see.

The most important deterrent to workplace violence is the employees themselves being aware of how to handle a threat. To be effective, any workplace violence strategy must include measures to detect, report, assess, and manage threats and potentially violent behavior.

Workplace violence can happen anywhere. The source of the violence can be internal such as an employee or former employee, or external such as a dissatisfied customer or a domestic issue that spills over into the workplace.

Your organization cannot properly address any threat unless it is reported. You need to encourage employees to err on the side of caution and report any threats, suspicious behavior or activities they may receive or witness.

Whether the threat is reported to a manager, Human Resources or the Security Staff, there should be a common list of questions asked about the threat such as the nature of the threat, the source, etc. This information needs to be captured on an intake form specifically designed for this purpose. Once reported, the threat is turned over to the Threat Assessment Team.

The purpose and objective of having a Threat Assessment Team is to ensure the company has a defined process and identified resources that can quickly and effectively respond to threats or potential threats; quickly assess; and, take appropriate actions to ensure the safety of the workplace.

The Threat Assessment team generally consists of Human Resources, Security, Legal Council, EAP (employee Assistance Program) and when appropriate an external specialist.

Threat assessment has two parts:

  • an evaluation of the threat itself; that is, the assessment of the credibility and overall viability of an expression of an intent to do harm; and,
  • an evaluation of the person making the threat.

Together, these evaluations can help lead to an informed judgment on whether someone who has made a threat is likely to carry it out—a determination that has been described as “differentiating when someone is making a threat versus posing a threat.” The assessment can also help management decide what will be an appropriate intervention.

  • If a threat is immediate, specific, and critical (“I’ve got a gun in my car and I’m going to wait for that S.O.B. and blow him away the minute he steps on the parking lot”), the obvious response is to call the police (911) right away.
  • A threat that is veiled or less specific and does not appear to presage immediate violence may call for less urgent measures: referral for psychological evaluation and counseling, for example.
  • Many threats will turn out to be harmless blowing off steam and require nothing more than a formal admonition to the individual that his or her language or conduct was not appropriate and violates company policy.

The most important part is to KNOW THE THREAT EXISTS.

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Kelley Okolita will be teaching Building an Enterprise-wide Business Continuity Program post-conference Workshop on April 15-16, 2010, at the 2010 Continuity Insights Management Conference. See https://www.expotracshows.com/continuity/bcp-workshop/2009/ to register.
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This article is by Kelley Okolita, MBCP, author of the new book Building an Enterprise-wide Business Continuity Program, available from Rothstein Associates.

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Emotional Continuity Management, pioneered by Vali Hawkins Mitchell, Ph.D. LMHC, is a valuable tool in the face of workplace disruption. Vali is the author of Emotional Crises in the Workplace: Protecting Your Business’ Bottom Line – Emotional Continuity Management in the Workplace.

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