Workplace Violence
Workplace violence is a pervasive issue that can expand across companies and organizations of any size. It can be described as an act or threat of violence that can span from verbal abuse to physical harm directed toward individuals who are actively on duty.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health places workplace violence into four distinctive categories:
- Criminal Intent – The offender has no ties to the business and is often perpetrating violence in the commission of a crime (robbery, shoplifting, etc.)
- Customer/Client – The violence occurs between an employee and a patron, patient, or visitor of the establishment.
- Worker on Worker – This is referred to as “lateral or horizontal violence,” which can include peer-on-peer or supervisor-on-employee violence.
- Personal Relationships – This occurs when the victim’s personal relationship issues take place while they are at work.
Data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that in 2022 there were 524 workers who were the victim of workplace homicide. Many of these victims were men (81%) between the ages of 25-44 (44%) and working in retail-related professions (30%). Workplace homicide is the potential result of grievances that have escalated beyond verbal and physical threats and can occur in any professional setting.
In February of 2023, an incident occurred in Las Vegas, at Hokaido Sushi Restaurant. There was a verbal altercation between two employees which resulted in the suspect obtaining a sushi knife and stabbing the victim during a peak lunch period at the restaurant. Although workplace homicide is particularly egregious, it is far more common for employees to endure low-level mistreatment.
Workplace Violence Prevention
ESTABLISH A POLICY – Employers should have a clear, zero-tolerance policy in place that establishes what constitutes as workplace violence and what consequences will be enacted if it occurs.
FOSTER COMMUNICATION – There should be an open forum for employees to express grievances to avoid further escalation of interpersonal conflicts. This communication can be verbal or via confidential channels.
PRE-EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND CHECKS – Background checks can help to identify employees who have a violent criminal history and may be subject to committing acts of workplace violence.
RISK ASSESSMENTS – Employers should conduct frequent risk assessments to identify potential areas of vulnerability whether they are attributed to the position itself, physical security concerns, or crime in the area.
ESOC can provide the following services to aid in the reduction of workplace violence:
- Background Investigations
- Reference Checks
- Employee Vetting
- Person of Interest Management
- Site Assessments
- Vulnerability Assessments
