We shouldn’t be having this conversation, but increasing workplace violence made us do so.
What is workplace violence in actual? Any act or threat of harassment, physical violence, intimidation occurring at the workplace.
Clear enough? But why do we need to have prevention programs for workplace violence? Of course! No one wants to work in a violent workplace.
So ensuring a peaceful environment is necessary to grow your business.
12 Strategies For Workplace Violence Prevention
Organizations should have a proper system to prevent and deal with workplace violence. So here are some easy-to-use strategies for that purpose.
1. Make A Policy To Prevent Harassment
Harassment is a repeated process of showing bullying or troubling behavior. But it also means to bother others to a threatening extent.
Harassment exists in all workplaces, and it makes the environment offensive. So if a person shows such behavior, the company should consider it a sign of upcoming violence.
That is why it’s essential to create a policy for controlling harassment to prevent violence.
And there should be a process in your policy to address the complaints efficiently.
So the company must keep in view all levels of the hierarchy when they decide to make a policy. And the policy should get introduced all around the company, and everyone should be aware of it.
2. Workplace Violence Prevention – Check The Background Of New Employees
Prevention of workplace violence starts with the hiring process. So the company should conduct background research on potential employees.
And it’s the best way to check whether a candidate had a violent past or not. So if there’s something unusual, ask that employee to explain. If his remarks match the report, then it’s okay.
But if there was a recent violent event, then offer the job to another potential candidate.
3. Make An Effective Culture Of Communication For Workplace Violence Prevention
An open culture of communication is a useful thing in dealing with workplace violence.
And employees having access to communication networks can understand the initiating signals of violence.
So they can better recognize and deal with violence instead of sweeping it out of the door.
Because creating resources to resolve conflict makes the employees responsible enough to communicate.
And a culture of open communication makes everyone resolves most of the conflicts. So people feel relief when they know their grievances will get heard.
4. Encourage The Employees To Understand The Differences
There are different leadership styles and personality types in the workplace. And there would be clashes between them.
But if these issues get left unchecked, they would create anxiety and troubles at the job. And in worse cases, such problems will lead to some violent events at the workplace.
And such problems when to continue to happen, there is an increased rate of turnover. Also, a rise in cultural issues for the organization would be visible.
Help your employees to understand each other better by organizing such activities. And they should learn to understand the differences between individuals and solve their conflicts.
So it would make people understand that their differences do matter in the overall productivity.
5. Workplace Violence Prevention – Implement Training And Awareness
Create training sessions to teach your employees some techniques to deal with conflict.
So they beforehand know how to handle a situation when conflict occurs.
Yet, if your employees are trained enough, they would quickly decide to stop the violence. Because they’ll be confident and controlled enough to respond to a violent incident.
6. Don’t Let Conflicts Turn Into Violence Or Harassment
Tense situations in companies when employees are getting laid-off or fired creates anger. But if that anger goes to an extreme extent, it might create a desire in employees to be extremist.
Such situations can get prevented by not letting conflict turn into violence. So alert your staff and security to get ready to deal with any violent situation.
And it will help employees to keep an eye on the ex-employees returning without an invitation. So they can prepare for further steps.
7. Develop An Anti-Violence Policy For Workplace Violence Prevention
You can develop strict policies to prevent workplace violence.And such policies that allow employees to report violent behaviors can be useful.
So these policies would cut undesirable employee behavior and favoritism.
But managers will at once have to punish whoever goes against the policy. And ensure that all employees must be aware of the consequences of violating the policy.
So such strict actions will show your company’s commitment to deal with violence.
8. Workplace Violence Prevention – Manage And Monitor The Visitors
By properly managing and monitoring the visitors, you can prevent workplace violence.
Although security guards, surveillance cameras, and desks are reasonable efforts to prevent violence. But there needs to be high security for people who work in alone and confined spaces.
So provide security to people in parking areas as they become targets when alone.
9. Encourage Your Employees For Reporting Unusual Incidents
Develop an environment of trust where you and the company’s employees can trust each other.
So you can establish confidential systems where employees can report without any fear.
And also, ensure the employees won’t face any retaliation for reporting any incident.
10. Identify Risk Factors Of The Organization
Does your organization have some potential risk factors that can lead to violence? Because these risk factors might get combined with the stress situation of a person he brings to work.
And as a result, he would emotionally burst and lash-out.
So assess if there are such factors as working with understaffed or inadequate security. And if there’s a perception in employees that violence can get tolerated, try to dismiss this idea.
So always check if your employees can report the incidents properly.
11. Be Cautious Of The Robbers For Workplace Violence Prevention
Most workplace violence occurs combined with other crimes like shoplifting.
And most of the workplace homicides are those where robber doesn’t know the business.
To deal with robbery or homicide, you should keep minimum assets at the company.Â
Limit the physical cash by using electronic payment systems. And ensure the safety of assets at your workplace.
And you can ask law entities to visit you sometimes.
So be attentive when you see any unusual activity.Â
12. Do An Analysis After An Incident
If your workplace experienced or prevented a violent incident, do a detailed analysis.
See who got affected, and how? Were there alarming signs present? Did your company’s procedures followed-up? If No, what are the reasons?
Also, check if the team members got trained enough. And analyze what new processes will help you to deal with workplace violence in the future.
Finding answers to these questions lets you recognize the areas where there’s a need to make changes.
What Is Workplace Violence – Major Types
Workplace violence includes anything from verbal threats to physical confrontations. But in some severe cases, it can even lead to homicides.
According to a study, 403 cases out of 5,240 cases were that of homicides. Although many issues remain unreported, yet 2 million Americans reported workplace violence.
So we need to see who is at a threat of this violence. There are four types in which workplace violence manifests itself.
1. Customer/Client Violence
In this situation, the perpetrator is the recipient of a service provided by the victim. And he can be a current or former client, patient, customer, passenger, or criminal suspect.
2. Criminal Intent
The perpetrator has not relation to the affected workplace or victim. His initial intention was to commit robbery or another criminal act.
3. Worker On Worker
The perpetrator had some employment related to the business or victim.
It might include an assault by a current or former employee or manager.
4. Personal Relationship
It’s an extended situation of domestic violence. The perpetrator doesn’t work in the business. But he has a personal relationship with an employee working there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The Three Workplace Violence Prevention Strategies?
The ingredients to develop an effective workplace violence prevention plan include management commitment. Analysis of workplace, hazard control, health training, and record-keeping are some other blocks.
What Responsibilities Do Employers Have To Prevent Workplace Violence?
Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. The employers who don't prepare to prevent violence will have to face serious actions.
Can You Sue For Workplace Violence?
Yes, under specific circumstances, you can sue for workplace violence. If you have been a victim of workplace violence and didn’t receive any compensation. Then you can file a case against your employer for not taking any action.
How Do You Respond To Workplace Violence?
A supervisor can call for assistance while responding to workplace violence. Try not to deal with an employee in front of the audience. Be calm, speak in a slow and soft tone. Ask the employee to follow your directions.
Conclusion
Workplace violence might sound scary, but you have to deal with it instead of getting afraid.
But with a proper plan and practical strategies, you can easily prevent workplace violence.
Yet, it won’t be enough to have a plan until you communicate it across the organization.
So prepare your people to respond to workplace violence with a peaceful mind. And don’t let them panic and worsen the situation.
Remember, it won’t be fatal until you let it be. Fight the violence, and don’t let it kill you!
Last Updated on 15 hours by Shahzaib Arshad
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