The Workplace Violence Training Series
The recent release of IMAC’s Workplace Violence Training Series at www.imac-training.com is a timely response to what has again become the number one concern of today’s corporate security directors. The tragedies of 9/11 distracted attention from this problem and placed focus on how terrorism would affect the American company/organization. Though concerns regarding terrorism should not be ignored, there is a far greater probability in most American workplaces that there will be a workplace violence incident that will directly, or indirectly, impact the business and the employees.
Workplace violence is an often misunderstood phenomenon. There are many different types of crime and violence that get lumped into the workplace violence data. From robberies, to domestic disputes unfolding in the workplace, to vivid images of fired employees returning on shooting rampages, they are all contained in the sea of statistics on this problem. When this topic is discussed, most people only think of the disgruntled former employee returning to commit an act of vengeance. That is in fact, a small percentage of the problem. Workplace violence includes any conduct or behavior that creates a dangerous or threatening situation for the employees. Therefore, all of the reasonably foreseeable sources of potential violence, both internal and external, must be addressed in a prevention and response strategy.
A workplace violence prevention and response program must contain training, prevention and response strategies to address all of the following components:
- A Proactive Violence/Aggression Free Culture
- Effective Pre-Employment Screening
- A Workplace Violence Policy
- Employee Awareness Programs
- Training Programs for Supervisory Personnel
- A Trained Threat Response Team
- Development of a Threat Response Process
- Physical Security Reviews
- Knowledge and Utilization of Critical Assistance Resources
- Attention to (and Preparation for) Significant Events
Your company has a duty to your employees to provide a safe working environment that is free from violence and aggression, or the threat of them. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for workplace safety demand it; your legal defense and financial health may depend on it; and your employees certainly deserve it.