VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE Violence.pdf · The cost of workplace violence prevention . 5 . 6...

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VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

Charlotte Regional Safety & Health Conference

Alasdair Mackenzie

April 21, 2016

“...almost the kind of event that’s impossible to prevent and impossible to predict.’’

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Prevention vs. Prediction

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The cost of workplace violence prevention

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Strangers Customers

Employees Intimate

Partners

Type 1

Type 3 Type 4

Type 2

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“..acts or threat of physical violence, or physically intimidating behavior or language which is intended or makes another individual reasonably fear for his/her safety.”

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WHAT IS VIOLENCE?

Violence is:

•any actual, attempted, or planned injury of other people;

•behavior that causes other people to reasonably fear for

their health or safety;

•is intentional;

•non-consenting; and

•without lawful authority.

•From Threat Assessment and Threat Management, J. Reid Meloy, Stephen D. Hart & Jens Hoffmann

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Two distinct modes of violence

Affective

•Intense ANS arousal

•Highly emotional (hot blooded)

•Reactive & Immediate (defensive)

•Time limited

•Goal is threat reduction

Predatory

•Minimal or no ANS

•No conscious emotion (cold blooded)

•Planned & purposeful (offensive)

•Absence of imminent threat

•Premeditated

•Goal oriented

“All violent behavior is caused by the

need to establish control” James S. Cawood, Michael Corcoran, 2009

“All violence is an attempt to achieve

justice” James Gilligan, Violence: Reflections on a National Epidemic , 1997

“Men revolt not when they are hungry but

when they are wronged” Crane Briton . The Anatomy of Revolution, 1938

“Yellow flag” behaviors

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•Threats

•Aggression

•Bullying/intimidation

•Noncompliance with limits & boundaries

•Being argumentative and challenging authority

•Regularly disregarding policies and procedures

•Suicidal threats

•Domestic Violence

•Refusing to take responsibility for actions (and blame others)

•Noticeable change in behavior

“Bystander Effect” Dealing with – or Reporting – “Unacceptable Behavior”

(2009 Journal of the International Ombudsman Association)

Why people don’t report? • Fear of loss of relationships – personal & professional • Fear of reprisal - “snitches get stitches” • Insufficient evidence - need conclusive proof

Why people do report? Perceptions of the organization and managers Credible complaint system seen as safe and accessible Fairness in adjudication process Perception that offender will be punished (but not draconian measures)

Foster a community of caring. Understand there are benefits to providing

assistance. The more they identify with the group the more likely to report

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Active Shooter An individual actively engaged

in killing or attempting to kill

people in a populated area.

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Active Shooter Facts

• High impact event, but LOW frequency

• Average Active Shooting event lasts 12 minutes – Washington Navy Yard event lasted an hour before ended by police. 69% - 5 min or less.

• 60% of events are over before police arrived.

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Active Shooters

Rarely sudden, impulsive attacks

They do not just snap!

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Pathway to violence

Grievance

Ideation

Research/

Planning

Calhoun and Weston, “Contemporary Threat

Management” (2003)

Attack

Breach

Preparation

!?!!@

Predatory Violence Warning Behaviors

• Pathway

• Fixation

• Identification

• Novel Aggression

• Energy Burst

• Leakage

• Directly communicated threat

• Last resort 20

Indicators of radicalization

• Recent change in personality or physical appearance

• Cuts ties w/family and friends • Change in social affiliations • Hatred/intolerance of those not sharing beliefs • Stop participating in activities they enjoyed

prior • Adheres to extreme ideological doctrine • “Argument ceases and preaching begins” • Loss of humor

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Identification

Assessment

Management

Threat Assessment

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PERSON OF

CONCERN

TARGET

SETTING SITUATION

• Removing silos of information

• Multi-disciplinary approach

• Training employees/managers

• Effective outreach program

• Continued monitoring of threat

• Engaging law enforcement/court system

• Mental health partnerships

• “Hope for the best ~ plan for the worst”

Managing Threats of Violence

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Alasdair Mackenzie

alasdair.mackenzie@bankofamerica.com

804-553-5943

Thank you