Violence in Workplace, Essay Example

Workplace violence is an all too common occurrence in the workplace whose causes and preventions are the topic of many studies by unionized labor, labor organizations, law, and government. Each of these has concerns, not the least of which is defining, identifying, preventing, and eradicating workplace violence. This paper will discuss these issues as a summary of violence in the workplace, namely identifying sources of violence, some of the causes, and the prevention strategies presently used.

According to the University of Health Care, 57% of companies that responded to a recent survey admitted that their company had suffered workplace violence within the previous three years. A second survey found that nearly 36% of these incidents were family or marital based, another 24% were triggered by stress, and 18% were due to the employee being fired. Nor is violence in the workplace limited to physical action. Workplace violence can be expressed verbally in threats or by threatening and intimidating behavior. According to NIOSH-the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Workplace, murders where a client kills the employee account for nearly 30% of fatalities in the workplace. This would include such things as dissatisfied customers or perhaps a disgruntled patient in a hospital waiting room. Armed robbery will account for fully 60% of homicides in the workplace, while employee to employee murder on the job will account for 10% by murder.

There are number of personalities that are prone to violence in the workplace, both male and female though males are the predominant offenders. These include workers who are loners and keep to themselves and do not mingle or socialize in or out of the workplace. Another group are men in their 40’s who are going through midlife crises, and people whose habits and hobbies are compulsive.

Even so, there are often early warning signs of impending violent behavior. Some of the early warning signs according to the University of Health Care are excessive stressors at home or on the job. Marital stress and job stress play huge roles. Employees who are in counseling or therapy are prone to violence. Workers who have suffered a recent death in the family often resort to violence on their fellow workers. Mental illnesses can result in violence by those suffering from such things as paranoia as well as employees facing an impending layoff or job loss. There is some question as to whether these characteristics should be taken into account automatically because in truth, each of us faces these challenges in our lives but only a few ever actually act on these as a trigger for violent behavior. Further, neither is it helpful to treat troubled employees with fear and paranoia as though they are prospective murderers. It is far more preferable to provide company managers with the necessary training to be supportive of troubled employees such that the worker will be inclined to find help rather than resort to violence.

Even so, there are a host of definite signs that disgruntled or potentially dangerous employees exhibit and that should not be ignored. The list includes such behaviors as when a worker utters statements that threaten revenge, not necessarily at work; workers are belligerent with authority figures or who become angry or upset with little or no apparent provocation; workers who exhibit classic symptoms of paranoia and who do what might be construed as odd things such filling notebooks with what they alone consider to be insults leveled at them; people who do not see the humor in any situations in the workplace; those who speak openly weapons as  means of exacting revenge; employees who constantly discuss violent movies and books; and, workers who make recurrent threats about suing another person.

It is a fact that in the workplace it is important to be vigilant of potential flare-ups by employees who have been passed over, for example, for promotions they feel they are entitled to. Many people who suffer rejection in their personal lives such as in their relationships oftentimes take their frustrations out on those around them-in this case their fellow workers. Workers who feel they are the victim of discriminatory practice are liable to react violently. An employee how has been fired and marched out of the building by security are high on the list of potentially violent ex-employees. We see these workers as using the date of dismissal as an anniversary to fulfill an act of revenge against a perceived enemy-the company, boss etc.

Other signs of suspicious behavior include workers who make veiled or direct threats against others in the workplace; intimidating behavior such as bullying and aggressiveness; workers who have supervisory conflicts; workers who bring or brandish weapons in the workplace; statements made by employees who have a fascination with workplace violence; statements that are made at work indicating a desperate family or life situation to that the point that the worker reveals they are contemplating suicide; employees who have a reliance on intoxicants such as alcohol and drugs; and, employees who have extreme fluctuations in behavior.

There are at least four main components of violence prevention in the workplace:

• A commitment by management and employee involvement.
• A thorough analysis of the worksite;
• Hazard prevention and control;
• Health and Safety training.

Company managers in the workplace need to commit to an accountability system for managers as well as workers and supervisors; there is a definite need for medical and psychological counseling programs for employees, especially those who have suffered from violence or assaults and who have witnessed them as well; management needs to commit to health and safety in the workplace for workers; there should be management support for workplace violence prevention programs; and there should be a budgetary commitement to allocate the necessary funding for these programs.

Ultimately, employees should be provided the opportunity participate in violence prevention programs and to know and be informed of their existence and operation. Workers should not be worried about repercussions or vengeful behavior because they report incidents in the workplace. Risk assessments can only be made if records are kept. There should be a security plan in place that has orders of priority depending on the level of incident such as the police or supervisor. An employee should have responsibility for the program and its operation and execution. This means that they will insure that workers, supervisors, and managers get the proper training. And lastly, management needs to make it clear to all and impose without prejudice, that violence prevention in the workplace is a right and therefore, as in the community, will not be tolerated and offenders should expect a policy of zero tolerance.

The thesis of thesis of this paper was to show that violence exists in the workplace and is identifiable by its potential adherents by their social behaviors. Further, once that has been accepted, workplace violence can be prevented, if not totally, then by recognition of the factors associated with its actions.

References

Farb, Daniel and Bruce Gordon. Workplace Violence Guidebook. (2005) University of Health Care. Los Angeles. CA

Spracale, Nicole.Violence in the Workplace: Preparation, Prevention and Response. (2002). Accessed at: www.Dissertation.com on: November, 14, 2010.

Rosen, Lori; Millam-Perez, Lisa. Workplace Violence Provention. (2004). CCH Incorporated.  Chicago, IL

Linsley, Paul. Violence and Aggression in the Workplace.(2006). Radcliffe Publishing Ltd. Oxon, UK.