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Agenda
Defining Workplace Violence
Statistics & Implications
Increasing Safety: The Importance of Policy
Strategic Involvement & Core Components
Tactical Empathy & De-escalation
Warning Signs: A Continuum of Behaviors
Identifying the Issues
Summary
What is Workplace Violence
Workplace violence (WPV) refers to a
spectrum of behaviors that, due to their
nature and severity, significantly affect the
workplace, generate a concern for
personal safety, or result in physical injury
or death.
CATEGORIES OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE
Rumors Theft
Swearing Physical assaults
Verbal abuse Psychological trauma
Pranks Anger-related incidents
Arguments Sexual assault
Property damage Arson
Vandalism Murder
Sabotage Pushing
WPV Common Forms
Why it Matters
Every year, approximately two million
people throughout the country are victims
of non-fatal violence at the workplace.
According to Department of Justice officials,
violence is a leading cause of fatal injuries at
work with about 1,000 workplace homicides
occurring each year.
WPV generates a poor public image for
organizations that may lead to:
• difficulty in recruiting, keeping and
training staff
• reduced morale
• strained management-employee
relationships; and
• loss of clients or customers
Additional Implications
Timely Response
Increasing Safety
The risk of violence can be prevented or
minimized if employers take appropriate
precautions.
Establish a zero-tolerance policy toward
workplace violence.
This policy should apply to all workers,
clients, visitors, and contractors –
anyone who is in contact with your
company’s personnel.
The Action Plan
Employees should
understand what to look
for, be observant, and
have a means to
communicate potential
problems. It’s also
extremely important that
employees know that
there will be
repercussions if they
violate the policy.
Be Specific and Precise
Implementing a clearly defined violence prevention program reduces incidences of workplace violence.
Did You Know?
A reported 58% of
senior managers
have been threatened
by an employee.
All employees should have emergency telephone
numbers for quick reference during a crisis, and
understand what to do when violence occurs.
Three Primary Considerations
DEFINE what is meant by
workplace violence in precise,
concrete language.
“Workplace violence
is any verbal abuse,
threatening or harassing
behavior, or physical
assault occurring at or
arising from the
worksite.”
Primary Considerations Cont.
PROVIDE clear examples of
unacceptable behavior.
“This includes: verbal and
written threats,
harassment, physical
intimidation, assault, and
unacceptable working
conditions such as working
late or alone without
acceptable safeguards.”
Primary Considerations Cont.
STATE precisely the
consequences of making threats
or committing acts of violence.
“This response may
include, but isn't limited to,
suspension, reassignment
of job duties, termination of
employment, and/or the
pursuit of criminal
prosecution of the person
or persons involved.”
• All violent behaviors are aggressive whereas
not all aggressive behaviors are violent.
Researchers point out that the frequency of
aggressive behavior escalating into a physical
confrontation – in both marital relationships
and workplace contexts – emphasizes that
victims of workplace physical violence are
likely to have experienced nonphysical
aggressive acts prior to the violent incident.
“Predicting Workplace Aggression and Violence” Annual Review of Psychology Vol. 60: 671-692 (January 2009)
“With violence, as with so many other
concerns, human nature is the problem,
but human nature is also the solution.”
~ Steven Pinker
Core Components
To resolve a conflict successfully requires that
individuals are able to:
• Quickly reduce stress in the moment
• Respond in constructive ways during an
argument or perceived attack
We respond to conflicts
based on our
perceptions of what’s
true.
Perceptions are not
necessarily an objective
review of the facts as our
perceptions are
influenced by our life
experiences, culture,
values, and beliefs.
Clarifying Perceptions
Tactical Empathy
Emotions aren’t the obstacles to a successful negotiation; they are the means.
Listening communicates respect.
Listen for what is felt in addition to the specific details. Demonstrate that you see the nuances of their emotions.
Proactively label their fears.
• “It sounds like you are afraid of…” • “It looks like you’re concerned about…”
Effective De-escalation
• Attempts to “win” the argument are often as
problematic as the problem itself.
• Conflict resolution is the first priority.
Communicate respect for the individual as
well as their viewpoint.
"Intellectuals solve problems; geniuses prevent them."
- Albert Einstein
Effective De-escalation Cont.
• Maintain control of your own emotions.
• Avoid power struggles and intimidation tactics.
• Avoid raising your voice, swearing, making threats, and issuing ultimatums or demands.
• Aggressive language includes body language.
What physical cues am I responding to and what’s my body language communicating?
• Avoid rigidity of process. The immediate outcome is more important.
“What is the goal here and now?”
Milder Behaviors
Milder behaviors include any disruptive, hostile,
aggressive, or emotionally abusive behaviors.
Mid-range Behavior
Individuals in
the mid-range
category show
direct,
conditional or
veiled threats,
stalking and
aggressive
harassment.
Violent Behavior
Violent behavior
involves overt
violence causing
physical injury and
in the extreme,
death.
Summary
• A well-written workplace violence prevention
program, combined with engineering controls,
administrative controls and training can reduce
the incidence of workplace violence.
• The more a company manages the milder forms
of workplace violence, the more successful that
company will be at reducing violent behaviors.
• Educating, engaging and empowering everyone
to observe and act is essential to the safety of
both employee and employer.
"Peace is not the absence of
conflict but the presence of
creative alternatives for
responding to conflict…”
- Dorothy Thompson