|
|||
|
|
|
||||||
|
Workplace Violence Prevalent Among Large Employers
Incidents involving co-workers, customers and domestic violence are most prevalent, causing increased fear and lower morale throughout an organization.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that half of employers with a workforce of 1,000 or more experienced incidents of workplace violence within the 12 months prior to the survey's recent completion. The survey examined the prevalence of security features, risks facing employees, employer policies and training, and topics related to maintaining a safe work environment. Large employers report the most prevalent type of incident (34 percent) occurs between co-workers; incidents involving a customer or client (28 percent); and domestic violence (24 percent). "Other" incidents comprise the remaining cases cited. Among large companies experiencing such incidents, 21 percent reported an effect on the fear level of employees. Twenty-one percent said the incident affected employee morale. The effect on morale, according to Tim Horner, managing director of New York-based Kroll, a risk consulting firm, "can be devastating, depending on what the incident is. ... It does have a rippling effect [throughout an organization]." More than 70 percent of U.S. workplaces have no formal program or policy addressing workplace violence, according to the survey. However, among those that do, about 82 percent are private companies. Horner says most large corporations have developed policies for dealing with violence at work. Most includeżor should includeża zero-tolerance policy related to workplace violence, as well as strategies to identify potential problems, react to those problems and mitigate the situation. Some companies, he says, build teams that include HR professionals, security directors, legal advisors, public relations representatives and, sometimes, outside consultants. The team's mission is to assess workplace-violence incidents as well as the potential for such incidents. Procedures and plans are defined by the size of the facility and the number of workers, among other considerations, Horner says. "Everything is dependent on the threat level at the facility." Companies can implement education, training, escorts, guard services, monitored access to a facility and a variety of alternatives, he says. "HR managers are not aware of much of the aggression, particularly psychological aggression, that may occur in the workplace," says Theresa Glomb, Carlson professor of human resources and industrial relations at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. She notes a frequent cause of homicide for women at work is at the hands of the spouse or partner. "Domestic violence clearly spills over into the workplace." Besides such tragic cases, she says, domestic violence can have "a detrimental influence on the work life of the victims, as well as the work group and larger organization," Glomb says. "The pathways by which domestic violence may have an impact on the work environment are multifold," including increased absenteeism, strained relationships with co-workers, decreased job performance and increased benefits utilization, among other negative effects. Horner also noted that the established patterns of arrival and departure and known destination make it "easy for the spouse to target [potential victims] going to or coming from work." Many programs designed to address workplace violence are very informal, Horner says. "HR does take a big lead in this." He notes the importance of training managers and supervisors and teaching employees to recognize and report any incidents of workplace violence. "Institute that zero-tolerance culture," Horner urges, suggesting problems frequently stem from a lack of communication. Risk factors contributing to violence against workers include interacting with the public, exchanging money, delivering goods, working late at night or during early morning hours, working alone, guarding valuables and dealing with violent people or volatile situations, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety. OSHA currently provides no standards designed to address specific practices to ensure workplace safety from violence, according to Paula Brantner, program director for Washington-based Workplace Fairness, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting justice and advocacy for employees. "Every employee has the right to a safe workplace," she says. "No one wants to be in a situation where [he or she has] to risk bodily safety to be at work." Increasing numbers of employees conducting home visits, such as social workers, have raised cause for concern, Brantner says. For example, some may deal with dangerous clients. "All employees need to be alert for specific warning signs," Brantner says, adding that threats or violent tempers should raise a red flag. If behavior in the workplace "crosses reasonable boundaries," she says, employees must inform supervisors and pass along any information that might indicate violent tendencies.
November 29, 2006 Copyright 2006© LRP Publications |
||||||
Print
Email
Write to the Editor
Reprints
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
© Copyright 2010 LRP Publications. All rights reserved.
|
||||