Violence in society is an ever-growing problem. This violence, unfortunately, does not stop in the workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between the years of 2011 and 2018, a total of 5746 injuries occurred due to workplace violence.

The United States Department of Labor describes workplace violence as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidating, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the worksite. This can range from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults. Workplace violence can affect employees, clients, customers, and visitors. It is vital for employers to take the necessary steps to limit this toxic culture.

There are four major groups that workplace violence can fall into:

• Criminal Intent: violence committed by someone with no relationship with the business

• Customer/Client Violence

• Worker-on-Worker Violence

• Personal Relationship: for example domestic violence.

Naturally, some jobs will lead to a higher chance of workplace violence than others. For example, taxi drivers and healthcare workers are at a higher risk. In general, any work environment that is interacting with the public, open after dark or serving alcohol is generally more likely to experience workplace violence.

How can you prevent this violence in your own workplace?

1. Complete background checks on all new employees

This may seem like a no-brainer but workplace violence prevention begins during the hiring process. If a violent past is discovered, it is vital to ask for an explanation.

2. Create an effective line of communication

This is a key factor in preventing any type of violence. People are most likely to act of frustration and emotion which can be prevented when you allow them an outlet for their grievances. All of your employees should have access to conflict-resolution resources that make it easy to find solutions to their issues. Having this open line of communication will make it more likely that employees will report early signs of violence so that they can be properly addressed.

3. Establish a strict anti-violence policy

Arguably the most effective method for preventing violence is to enforce a strict and consistent no tolerance policy. Favoritism should be avoided at all costs. In addition, you need to make sure that all employees are aware of what is expected of them and the consequences of any undesirable behavior.

4. Implement awareness training

Lastly, training is a must. Employees need to know what to look out for and how to detect early signals of workplace violence. Your staff needs to know how to react. Being trained will allow employees to feel confident and respond in a controlled and appropriate way to any misconduct in the office.

Employers should be sure that their staff are able to recognize warning signs. Possible signs could include but are not limited to:

• Excessive use of drugs or alcohol

• Behavioral changes

• Depression or withdrawal

• Complaints about unfair treatment

• Violation of company policy

• Mood swings or overreaction to criticism or evaluation

• Paranoia

In the vast majority of workplaces, risks can be identified and removed leading to a better work environment with a lower possibility of violence. All employers need to analyze their workplaces and commit to nonviolence. The goal is to create a supportive environment that encourages employees to come forward and do their part to ensure the safety of everyone.

Here at Twin City Security, we want to ensure that your workplace is as safe as it can be, we have been providing security solutions for over 40 years. We provide residential, industrial, construction, professional/academic, and medical/behavioral security options. Whatever industry you are working in, we can provide you with the necessary tool to ensure safety. We want to provide you with a comforting presence and our experienced staff are trained to look out for any suspicious activity that employees may miss.

We strive to be the number one choice for contract security services in Alabama by consistently protecting the assets of our clients. Call us today at 334-749-8385 or check out our website to learn more about the services we offer.

If you are a retailer curious about why retail security is important specifically, check out this post on retail security.