By: Shaun Winn-Gammage
Workplace violence is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide and suicide. It can affect and involve more than just employees and can include clients, customers, spouses/families and visitors.
If your company has doors which take a key fob to enter, a gate around the facility and/or guards, you may feel you are completely safe in the workplace. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Workplace violence continues to be a problem in the American workplace, and sadly, California typically has been one of the states with the highest rates of workplace homicides.
Preventing workplace violence is the most important thing an employer can do to help secure the safety of their employees. It is imperative to be transparent with your employees and train them well.
The key things an employer should do is:
- CREATE A PREVENTING WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PROGRAM and incorporate the program information into an existing Illness Injury Prevention Program (IIPP), employee handbook, or manual of standard operating procedures.
- Establish a ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY toward workplace violence (including even threats of violence) by their employees.
- TRAIN a team along with all employees on an effective workplace violence-prevention plan and what to do in case of a threat or an actual emergency.
- ENCOURAGE employees to report all incidents they see or hear of threats of workplace violence (even if it is through the grapevine).
- PRACTICE and do mock-up sessions every 6 months so employees remember what to do, or not to do.
Teach, Convey, Write, Say, Tell, Remind, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat….If you
See Something – Hear Something – SAY Something
Call SDHR Consulting today for one of our trained consultants to help you to implement your Preventing Workplace Violence Program. It is better to be ahead of a threat, than behind it.
888-220-9286 info@sdhrconsulting.com
