VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

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VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE
THE 1 CONCERN OF CORPORATE AMERICA SECURITY
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Workplace Violence Policy

• All employees and all others are to be treated
  with courtesy and respect at all times.
• Employees are to refrain from fighting or other
  conduct that may be dangerous to themselves or
  others.
• All weapons, firearms or other dangerous or
  hazardous devices are prohibited from DPA
  facilities without proper authorization

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What Is Workplace Violence?

• Criminal or other acts that are intended to
  harass, intimidate, physically or psychologically
  harm an employee or the company.
• Stalking/Cyberstalking affects 1 in 20 women
• Threats (written, verbal, implied)
• Unwanted purchases/Services
• Sabotage
• Assault
• Product Contamination
• Bombing
• Murder
• Bullying or Mobbing

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Annual Number of WPV Incidents

• Homicide lt 1,000
• Rape 13,000
• Robbery 80,000
• Aggravated Assault 265,000
• Simple Assault 600,000
• Threats/Intimidation 6 million
• Electronic threats ??

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Categories of WPV Acts

• Employer directed violence against workplace
• authority supervisor, manager, director
• Domestic directed partner or would be partner
• engages in violence against the object or
• his/her affections
• Property directed acts against any property
• that the company owns
• Commercial directed an employee participates
• in events against the company (theft of money
• or property and may also involve violence).

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Principle Causes of WPV

• Understaffing
• Failure to train workers to recognize and defuse
  potentially violent situations
• Failure to assess and determine who may exhibit
  violent or aggressive behavior
• Failure to highlight violent hazards and develop
  control measures, workplace policies and training
  programs.
• The attitude that violence will never happen in
  the place of employment

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Contributing Factors to WPV

• Reduction in workforce, lay-offs, downsizing
• Domestic violence spilling into the workplace
• Loss of critical anchors family, friends
• Easy accessibility of firearms
• Glorification of violence in greater society
• Workplace homicides are usually a result of
  conflicts between individuals.

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Warning Signs of Violence Stage 1

• Unusual behavior changes
• Always uncooperative with direct supervisor
• Argues with coworkers constantly
• Curse profusely
• Irritability and anxiety escalates
• Hostile towards customers or coworkers
• Sleep disturbances are mentioned on the job
• Escalation of domestic problems

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Warning Signs of Violence Stage 2

• Writes violent notes to employees/management
• Sabotages equipment or steals property
• Disregards company policies and procedures
• Increase in physical or traffic-related accidents
• Noted decrease in interest and confidence in work
• Increased alcohol or drug use
• Plays the victim

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Warning Signs of Violence Stage 3

• Frequent intense anger
• Depression or withdrawal
• Property destruction
• Suicidal threats
• Physical fighting
• Use of weapons to harm others

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Intervention

• Monitor stress levels of employees/coworkers
• Train all supervisors and managers
• on the WPV warnings
• Do not allow weapons in the workplace
• Immediately deal with disruptive behavior
• Report/Investigate all threats (implied or
  direct) of violence

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Reporting WPV

• An employee who has a complaint of WPV or has
  witnessed an incident of WPV, whether by
  supervisors, co-workers or visitors must contact
  HR.
• If an actual incident of violence occurs, call
  911 immediately, then notify DPA ARL.
• If an employee requests not to bring the
  complaint to the PM or SM, the complaint should
  be brought to HR.
• If threats of violence or harassment occur,
  report the incident to HR or through the
  supervisory chain.

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WPV Preventive Measures

• Be aware of warning signs of violence
• Mentally prepare for what if situations
• Understand company procedures about violent
  situations
• Be aware of weapons brought into the workplace
• Take all threats seriously
• Alert management immediately if any of the above
  occur

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Profile

• White male, 35-45 years old
• Loner (socially withdrawn). Low self-esteem
• History of interpersonal conflict (intimidation,
  threats, etc)
• Difficulty in controlling anger (rages, abusive
  to opposite sex)
• Exhibits some mental impairment (mood swings,
  extreme views, sexual fetishes, irrationality,
  depression)
• Poor job performance
• Always disgruntled. Blames others for everything
• Cannot take criticism
• Identifies well with violence
• History of drug and/or alcohol abuse
• No previous criminal record

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Workplace Violence Facts

• More than 2 million employees are victims of WPV
  each year.
• Guns account for 80 of workplace homicide
  deaths.
• Homicide is the second highest
  cause of
• death on the job.
• Homicide is the leading cause of
  death
• for women in the workplace.
• 80 of WPV victims are men.
• U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety
  and Health

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Homicides in the Workplace
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WPV Indicators

• Previous violent behavior
• Mental disorders (paranoia or depression,
  illusion of some perceived threat directed
  against them), mood swings or other unusual
  behavior
• Unreasonable grievances (always sees injustice or
  unfairness directed against him/her
• Communicates threats, revenge, or comments about
  how to inflict death or injury, references
  previous incidents
• Excessive religious, political or ethnic ranting
• Blames others
• Anxious or defensive behavior

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Indicators (Cont.)

• Challenges authority or change
• Easily upset or angered
• Increased need for supervision
• Reduced productivity, inconsistency
• Strained relationships
• Violation of safety procedures
• Changes in personal hygiene
• Stress, voiced job frustration
• Substance abuse
• Bullying or Mobbing
• Gut-level instinct

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WPV Costs

• Workers Compensation Costs - (per incident costs
  is higher than other claims by 45-63)
• OSHA Fines
• Liability (negligent hiring, supervision,
  retention, failure-to-notify torts, inadequate
  security lawsuits (foreseeable and reasonable),
  and respondent superior (responsible for
  employees acts in course of work duties))
• Estimated costs per serious incident in the
  workplace 250K
• 36 Billion Annually (122.6 billion for all
  injuries)

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Key Findings

• Improved interpersonal relations and effective
  preventive programs can result in lower levels of
  WPV
• Workers believe that social issues substance
  abuse, layoffs and poverty are major causes of
  WPV
• Harassers are usually co-workers or bosses while
  attackers are more likely to be customers
  (outsiders)
• There is a strong relationship between job stress
  and workplace harassment and violence
• Violence and harassment in the workplace are
  pervasive and affect the health and productivity
  of employees
• Northwestern National Life Survey, Oct. 1993

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Our Challenge

• REDUCE THE FREQUENCY
• REDUCE THE SERIOUSNESS
• REDUCE THE IMPACT
• REDUCE OUR LIABILITY
• PROTECT OUR PEOPLE