Global Energy Business July/August 2000 Feature Article

Management:

Workplace violence

By William Atkinson

According to a report published by the U.S. Department of Justice in 1998, approximately 1,000 employees are murdered annually while performing their work duties. The same report noted that there were actually two million incidences of workplace violence reported, including one million simple assaults and 400,000 aggravated assaults.

The Business Periodical Index, published by H. H. Wilson for over 40 years, is an excellent barometer of business trends, based on the number of entries the Index has for various topics. Until 1992, the only entry in the Index for violence was "Violence in Labor Disputes." In 1992, the Index added the category, "Violence in the Workplace," and it has numerous new entries each month.

More evidence

An American Management Association survey found that 52% of respondents reported experiencing at least one incident or threat of violence in the workplace in the previous three years. A Society for Human Resources Management survey found that 48% of respondents experienced an incidence of violence in the workplace in the previous two years, including verbal threats (39%), pushing/shoving (22%), and fistfights (14%). The survey goes on to say that 97% of workplace aggression consists of actions from verbal threats to fistfights. Only 3% involve shootings, knifings, and sexual assaults.

Experts also point out that the vast majority of workplace assaults and other forms of aggression are never even reported. John Byrnes, president of the Center for Aggression Management, Winter Park, Fla., notes that, in addition to the two million assaults each year, there are six million instances of employees being verbally threatened and 16 million instances of employees being harassed.

While companies must take steps to reduce the potential for employee homicides, there is an even more insidious and pervasive problem that can wreak havoc in the workplace day in and day out--bullying, verbal threats, harassment, intimidation, pushing, shoving, slapping, kicking, and fistfights.

In terms of victims, it breaks down this way, according to a Society for Human Resource Management survey: 57% is employee on employee, 17% is employee on supervisor, and 9% is spouse or significant other on employee.

As a result of the burgeoning problem, corporate executives are becoming more concerned about workplace violence. A recent survey of corporate executives conducted by Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations, Westlake Village, Calif., found that violence topped the list of executives' workplace security concerns, followed by Internet security, disaster recovery, white collar crime, and employee screening.

The perpetrators

Many perpetrators are mentally ill and may be predisposed to violence as a result of their illnesses. "Psychological dysfunction is prevalent in about 25% of cases of workplace violence," states Daniel Paulk, senior consultant with Crisis Management International, Atlanta. "These include people who suffer from paranoia, agitated depression, bi-polar disorder, etc." Some early signs of such problems can include: unsubstantiated complaints of unfairness or exaggerated perceptions of injustice, fascination with the military and/or weapons, explosions of temper, inability to accept criticism, irrational ideas or beliefs, inability to accept authority, and being a loner.

A large percentage of incidents, especially those of a chronic nature (daily harassment and verbal abuse, for instance), rather than a one-time event, are perpetrated by individuals often classified as "bullies." "These are people who have found that they can get what they want in life by being aggressive with other people," explains Steve Kaufer, cofounder of the Workplace Violence Research Institute, Palm Springs, Calif. Other bullies like to target people who are different than they are. For example, they may harass coworkers who are of different races, religions, sexual orientations, etc.

Other perpetrators tend to be people who are not naturally prone to violence but, because of events taking place in their lives, feel forced "over the edge." These can be employees who are:

* Victimized by employers (employees who feel victimized by their supervisors, managers, or employers in general). "They often feel they are being treated unfairly, singled out for discipline, passed over for promotions, and so on," explains Kaufer. In some cases, these employees do not react with aggression while employed, but if they are terminated, they may respond violently then.

* Victimized by coworkers (employees who are singled out for victimization by one or more coworkers, such as the bullies described above). These can include people of different religions, races, or sexual orientation, as well as people who are overweight or have unusual personality or physical characteristics. "Most people get teased, but a lot of people who are teased lack effective ways to respond," explains Paulk. "They just can't deal with the harassment. If they lack effective verbal response skills, they may react physically when they reach their threshold."

* Victimized by "life." Many other employees who "go over the edge" at work do so as a result of being unable to handle stresses in daily life. Triggers can include marital problems, financial problems, substance abuse, rejection by a girlfriend, etc.

Recognize the risks

Workplaces that foster aggression or violence can have a negative impact in several different areas. The most important is the physical and/or emotional harm caused to your employees who are victims of workplace violence or aggression. Even if employees aren't physically injured, they can suffer from stress, anxiety, depression, sleeplessness, exhaustion, insecurity, shame and embarrassment, nightmares, and poor concentration--whether as the result of a single incident or being subjected to aggression or hostility on a daily basis.

These problems lead to several financial exposures for employers:

1. Increased worker compensation (WC) costs. While the average cost of a WC claim is about $12,000, the average cost of a violence-related WC claim is $21,000, according to the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI).

2. The loss of good employees because of resignations and the inability to attract new employees as a result of your workplace's negative reputation, as well as negative public relations in the community and the potential loss of business from the customer base.

3. Lost productivity. One example is absences because of injury and/or fear of recurring attack or confrontation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, assault victims miss an average of five days of work per incident. Employees may also work more slowly because of loss of attention (thinking about the confrontation), fear ("looking over their shoulders"), and/or fatigue (from loss of sleep).

4. OSHA fines. Under OSHA's general duty clause, employers are required to "furnish, to each employee, employment and place of employment that is free from recognizable hazards that are causing, or likely to cause, death or serious harm to the employee."

5. Civil or criminal lawsuits. These can result from negligent hiring (hiring employees you knew or should have known were violent or had the potential for violence), negligent supervision, or negligent retention (retaining employees you knew or should have known were violent or had the potential for violence, and not taking action to prevent such violence).

Plan for violence

What can and should you do to reduce the potential for violence, hostility, and aggression in your workplace? There are several strategies.

1. Accept the fact that your workplace is not necessarily 100% safe from hostility, aggression, and violence. The majority of employers do not have violence prevention programs. "They probably have disaster plans for tornados and floods, which rarely happen," notes Gary Salmans, vice president and manager of Risk Control Services for Marsh USA (formerly Marsh-McLennan) in Denver. "However, they don't have plans for violence, which is much more likely to occur. The most powerful weapon a perpetrator has in the workplace is not a gun or a knife, but employer denial that a problem exists."

2. Create a workplace violence policy. "You can't do much to employees for committing acts of violence or aggression if you don't have a policy in place prohibiting such acts," cautions Workplace Violence Research Institute's Kaufer.

"Formulate and publicize a policy that is clear-cut," adds Paulk. "Explain in detail what you will and will not tolerate, with examples of each."

3. Screen and hire carefully. "You want to prevent hiring 'at risk' employees," states Salmans. While a comprehensive article could be written on the ins and outs of hiring, here is just a short list of questions that can help you identify applicants who may be prone to violence or aggression:

* What would you do if a fellow employee told you to go to hell, or embarrassed you in front of others?

* What did you like most about your last job? Least?

* What did you like most about your last boss? Least?

* What did you like most about your previous coworkers? Least?

* Was your last supervisor easy to work for? Why or why not?

* At any time, did you think you were being treated unfairly in your last job? If so, why? What did you do?

4. Hire a professional to train all employees in how to solve problems, manage stress, find non-threatening ways to vent anger, resolve conflicts, etc. Many people have never been trained in these skills. This training can help employees who might otherwise lash out with violence at some time in the future find other ways to manage their concerns, conflicts, and anger.

5. As part of the same program, train employees how to deal with the potential of violence against them. If you don't have qualified instructors on site, hire a consultant who specializes in this area. The training should focus on helping employees learn how to defuse situations that occur when stressed, bullying, or mentally ill employees confront them. Certainly, employees can't be expected to be professional counselors, but they can learn a few basic skills that will help calm situations down for the time being, rather than escalate them, until professional assistance (management team, outside specialists, etc.) can arrive.

6. Train front-line supervisors on how to recognize potential signs of violence and how to defuse hostility in the workplace before it gets out of hand. In many organizations, supervisors who are uncomfortable with belligerent, aggressive, or hostile employees often just transfer the employees to other departments

7. Have a reporting mechanism, and emphasize the importance of using it. The mechanism should be formal, and there should be certain people designated to receive the reports. "Determine how you want to hear reports, how the information will be handled, and what kinds of confidentiality will be provided to employees," suggests Paulk.

One of the most significant hurdles employers have to overcome to prevent workplace violence is dealing with employee resistance to reporting incidents. They are often embarrassed, worried about retaliation by the perpetrator, worried about being ridiculed by coworkers or supervisors, or believers in the old "code of silence"--"Don't be a snitch." One way to overcome this is to train supervisors in the importance of taking such reports seriously, and then emphasize to employees that their reports will be taken seriously. Another option is to offer anonymous reporting, such as an anonymous hotline to a third-party organization that reports back to management. The employee should also be able to call back at a later time to get a status report--to make sure the problem was appropriately addressed.

8. Create a violence response team. The composition of such a team can vary, depending on the size of the company and the qualifications of professionals within the organization. Members should include senior management, human resources, risk management, legal counsel, an insurance specialist, and a psychologist or psychiatrist. The team's most important responsibility should be to receive reports of actual or potential violence, investigate these reports, and respond appropriately.

Salmans also emphasizes the importance of decisive action on the part of the team. "Intervene immediately. Don't overlook a problem and hope it goes away. Once you [decide on] a response, 'draw a line in the sand' and follow it. If you follow the details of your policy each and every time, chances of recurring incidents decrease substantially."

9. Termination. If an employee's infraction or continued failure to follow the policy dictates termination, then it is important to proceed. "The longer you allow such employees to remain in the workplace, the greater their justification builds for violence, feeling that they are continuing to be treated unfairly," explains Salmans. "Stress builds on both sides."

Avoid backlash

Unfortunately, while terminations are effective in removing troublesome employees from the workplace, employers still risk two "backlashes"--one in the form of an even angrier or more unstable ex-employee returning to the workplace to commit more violence, or a lawsuit for "wrongful termination." If you have reason to suspect one or both problems, it is advisable to arrange for specialists to sit in on the termination, such as an attorney and a psychologist. "Since a termination can be a trigger for a lawsuit, it is advisable to have an attorney present during the termination, or at least consult an attorney for details on how to conduct the termination," suggests Salmans.

Engage the help of a credentialed threat assessment psychologist or psychiatrist to provide guidance on how to safely terminate the employee. During the termination, this specialist can assess whether you will need follow-up actions taken (such as ongoing monitoring, additional security measures, etc.). Since few are really qualified in this specialty, take your time finding someone who is.

William Atkinson is a business and technology writer based in
Carterville, Ill.