The Manager's Field Guide: Lesson Four
John Thalheimer
Assisting Leaders to Improve Employee Management Practices from Strategy, Execution and Compliance
Bear with me.
This is a challenging subject.
It was a hot July day in Texas when Alexis* went to work at Walmart for the last time. A few hours later, she and one of her coworkers would be gunned down by a disgruntled employee. Henry* worked as a night nurse for a long-term care facility when he was assaulted by one of the patients. Sally* was a consultant at a large firm when she was attacked because of her race. Frederica* was fired after speaking up about being sexually harassed in her workplace.
I could go on.
According to Zippia, there are roughly two million victims of workplace violence each year.
I will let that sit with you.
Some industries, like hospitals and nursing, experience workplace violence at a rate of seventy-five percent. According to The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), “workplace violence is the act or threat of violence, ranging from verbal abuse to physical assaults directed toward persons at work or on duty. The impact of workplace violence can range from psychological issues to physical injury, or even death.”
Under OSHAs’ general clause, employers must provide their employees a workplace free from recognized hazards. Workplace violence in all its form is a recognized hazard.
As many as 48% of human resources professionals in the U.S. claim that their organizations have, at some point, experienced workplace violence. It is no surprise that sixty-eight percent of American workers say that they do not feel safe at work.
Yet – we don’t talk about it. And if we do, it is in hush terms.
It is time we talk about it. It is time we do something about it.
Here are eight things we can do to reduce violence in our workplace.
1.??????Recognize that workplace violence happens: It doesn’t matter your industry, your employee base, or your location, workplace violence occurs, and you should do everything you can to prevent it.
2.??????Organizational buy-in: Increase awareness that executives, managers, and coworkers all have a responsibility to reduce the causes of workplace violence.
3.??????Create a clear violence-free policy:?The policy must be zero-tolerance and dismiss anyone from executive to front line employee who violates it.
4.??????Do a Workplace Analysis: Evaluate potential hazards or conditions that may lead to workplace violence, including security protocol, enforcement of policies, employee engagement, and level of stress in the workplace.
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5.??????Do a Job Hazard Analysis: Review each one of your job descriptions and which roles might be most susceptible to workplace violence. Increase security protocol, increase supervision, and teach employees how to deal with conflict in the workplace.
6.??????Put proper controls in place: Security, Employee Screening, Customer and Client Screening, Protocol Reviews, proper write-up procedures, and training.
7.??????Supervisor and Employee Training: This should include increasing awareness about the causes of workplace violence, how to deal with conflict in the workplace, how to spot and deal with potential workplace situations, and what to do amid the violence.
8.??????After Action Reports: Review what worked, what didn’t, and what you can change in the future.
Workplace violence is a challenging subject.
But that doesn’t mean we don’t talk about it. It means we talk about it more.
John.
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Resources:
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*the names in this story were changed.
?If I can do anything to help you reduce workplace violence, please do not hesitate to email me at [email protected]