The goal of the Workplace Violence Prevention Program is to support a work environment in which violent or potentially violent situations are effectively addressed with a focus on prevention by increasing employee understanding of the nature of workplace violence, how to respond to it, and how to prevent it. Success in the protection of our employees requires your personal attention and, as necessary, appropriate action.
IT IS UP TO EACH EMPLOYEE TO HELP MAKE THE UNIVERSITY A SAFE WORKPLACE FOR ALL OF US. The expectation is that each employee will treat all other employees, as well as customers or clients, with courtesy and respect in our communications.
Preventing Workplace Violence
One of the major components of an effective workplace violence program is its strategy regarding prevention. Focus will be on awareness and preventive measures that can be taken to deal with threatening, intimidating, and/or potentially violent behavior.
Becoming familiar with the campus's program regarding workplace violence is an important step in preventing workplace violence. It is imperative that all employees, including managers and supervisors, understand this program.
All managers and supervisors are expected to discuss the program with their staff so that they understand how to handle intimidating, threatening, or violent incidents, as well as understand the consequences of these acts (such as disciplinary and/or adverse action up to and including removal and criminal charges).
The best prevention strategy is to maintain an environment which minimizes severe negative feelings, such as isolation, resentment, and hostility among employees. Although no workplace can be perceived as perfect by every employee, there are several steps that management can take to help create a professional, healthy, and caring work environment. These include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- promoting sincere, open, and timely communication among managers, employees, and union representatives;
- offering opportunities for professional development;
- fostering a family-friendly work environment;
- maintaining mechanisms for complaints and concerns and allowing them to be expressed in a non-judgmental forum that includes timely feedback to the initiator;
- promoting "quality of life" issues such as facilities and job satisfaction; and
- maintaining impartial and consistent discipline for employees who exhibit improper conduct and poor performance.
A variety of resources are available to assist employees in dealing with problems originating in or being brought to the workplace. Employees should begin by contacting their supervisors, Human Resources & Equal Opportunity and Compliance, Employee Assistance Program, and/or Union Representatives.
The University Police Department is available for emergency situations. Employees should call 9-1-1 to report suspicious activity.
Training and communication are also critical components of any prevention strategy. The following types of training and communication are effective in preventing violence and other threatening behavior:
- communicating an awareness among employees, supervisors, and managers regarding all aspects of the University's Workplace Violence Prevention Program: what it is, what to do when faced with possible problems, employee and management responsibilities, early intervention techniques, who to call for assistance, etc.; and
- educating employees and communicating to them techniques designed to effectively deal with conflict resolution, stress reduction, etc.
Being aware of performance and/or conduct problems which may be warning signs of potential trouble is good prevention strategy. These signs may show up in perpetrators of violence, those who are victims, and those involved in domestic violence. Although it is possible that only one of these indicators will occur, it is more likely that a pattern will occur or that they will represent a change from normal behavior. Remember that the presence of any of these characteristics does not necessarily mean a violent act will occur. They may be indicators of another type of problem such as being ill, depressed, bereaved, etc. Some examples of performance and/or conduct indicators are listed below (listing is not intended to be all inclusive):
- attendance problems – excessive sick leave, excessive tardiness, leaving work early, improbable excuses for absences;
- adverse impact on supervisor's time – supervisor spends an inordinate amount of time coaching and/or counseling employee about personal problems, re-doing the employee's work, dealing with co-worker concerns, etc.;
- decreased productivity – making excessive mistakes, poor judgment, missed deadlines, wasting work time and materials;
- inconsistent work patterns – alternating periods of high and low productivity and quality of work, inappropriate reactions, overreaction to criticism, and mood swings;
- concentration problems – easily distracted and often has trouble recalling instructions, project details, and deadline requirements;
- safety issues – more accident prone, disregard for personal safety as well as equipment and machinery safety, needless risks;
- poor health and hygiene – marked changes in personal grooming habits;
- unusual/changed behavior – inappropriate comments, threats, throwing objects;
- evidence of possible drug or alcohol use/abuse;
- evidence of serious stress in the employee's personal life – crying, excessive phone calls, recent separation;
- continual excuses/blame – inability to accept responsibility for even the most inconsequential errors; and/or
- unshakable depression – low energy, little enthusiasm, despair.
Intervening early in a threatening or potentially violent situation is vital to preventing its escalation. There are many intervention options, and they vary greatly depending upon the situation. Early intervention may defuse the initial situation and give the supervisor an opportunity to thoroughly review options for resolution. Intervention sets the tone for how the situation will be resolved so it must be handled deftly.
Supervisors and managers must be willing to take action when necessary. All employees must know that violence in the workplace will not be tolerated and that appropriate action will be taken if threats of violence or violence occurs.
Workplace Violence Warning Signs
One of the common types of workplace violence is that among co-workers. In addition, a high percentage of violent incidents are perpetrated by individuals from outside the workplace. This includes situations such as domestic violence, bomb threats, and violence by customers.
While they are often preventable, it is still difficult to determine whether or not any particular workplace situation is potentially violent. This is an emotional and complex topic, and decisions about what to do in certain situations are not always straightforward or made in a clearheaded state of mind. In many cases, employees ignore warning signs because they believe they are not important, "that's just the way Joe is," or that it is none of their business. In other situations, employees react based on fear and what they believe is the profile of a potentially violent person, not necessarily observed actual behavior. Another major hindrance is not knowing where to go to get help in making determinations regarding real and potential risks.
Actual threats should always be taken seriously and responded to immediately. When there is not an actual threat, judgment and senses should be trusted. The "gut feeling" that one gets when talking to people should be respected. If one feels that someone is dangerous, take the proper precautions.
There are many forms of workplace violence among co-workers. Unfortunately, the one form that receives the most attention is workplace homicide. But there are far more incidents of violence that do not involve casualties but have the same traumatic effects. Some examples of the most frequently encountered situations among co-workers are:
- concealing or using a weapon;
- physical assault upon oneself or another person;
- actions which damage, destroy, or sabotage property;
- intimidating or frightening others
- harassing, stalking, or showing undue focus on another person;
- physically aggressive acts, such as shaking fists at another person, kicking, pounding on desks, punching a wall, angrily jumping up and down, screaming at others;
- verbal abuse including offensive, profane and vulgar language; and
- threats (direct or indirect), whether made in person or through letters, phone calls, or electronic mail.
It is important to recognize that violent incidents in the workplace may include acts of domestic violence. Often, co-workers and supervisors believe that domestic violence is something that is not their concern, but a private family matter that should not be brought to work. But the problem does spill over into the workplace. Domestic violence accounted for 27% of violent events in the workplace. If the victim has sought shelter or a restraining order, the workplace is frequently the place s/he can be found. It is not uncommon for the perpetrator to show up at the work site to carry out acts of violence against the partner or anyone trying to protect that person.
Because of the nature of the services provided by University programs, there are also incidents of workplace violence perpetrated by our clients/customers. Most threats are made by telephone.
Updated: March 05, 2024