Unit 9 SeminarWorkplace Violence

Al Dauser, CPP, CFIAdjunct ProfessorKaplan University

School of Criminal Justice

Tonight’s Question

• Workplace Violence To prepare for the seminar, you are encouraged

to do a Web search on workplace violence. You can also read a fact sheet on the subject at the website of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Be prepared to share your observations from the readings, as well as from personal experiences you may have had, in the seminar.

Violence: Introduction

• There have always been some problems associated with violence in the workplace

• Violence can be the result of a personnel problem, such as: – disciplinary action– salary dispute– termination

Introduction, cont’d.

• Can also be of a domestic nature, such as a “love triangle.”

• Employees do bring their problems to work

Threat

• Threat: An expression of one’s intention to inflict injury.

• Threat can be in the form of: – an intimidating stare– posture– verbal exchange

Harassment• Harassment: A behavior designed

to trouble or worry someone.• Sexual harassment often causes

people to fear the loss of their job if they resist or report it.

• Examples of harassing behavior: • putting grease on a coworker’s chair or

phone• feces in or on their desk• graffiti on bathroom walls• phone calls with immediate hang-ups

Attack• The use of unwanted force against

someone in order to cause harm.

– Making contact in an unwanted manner.– Examples:

• Spitting• Choking• Punching• Slapping• Grabbing

Sabotage

Sabotage: The destruction of an employer’s property, tools, equipment, or products in order to hinder the manufacturing process.

The Phenomenon of Workplace Violence

• Reached a high point during the late 1890s and early 1900s with the growing union movements

• The number of workplace violence incidents has been slowing declining since 1993

• Men are more likely than women to experience violence

• Sixty percent of workplace violence occurs in private companies

Six Common Sources of Violence On The Job

• Strangers, who are typically involved in the commission of a crime or who have a grudge against the business or an employee

• Current or past customers• Current or former co-workers who commit

murder• Current or former co-workers who threaten

and assault• Spouses or lovers involved in domestic

disputes• Those infatuated with or who stalk employees

The Work Environment and Violence

• There is a strong correlation between job stress and workplace violence

• We have become increasingly attached to our work

• The nature of our work defines who we are, what we are, and what social status we enjoy in the community – Factors to consider:

• employee–employer relations• leadership styles• communication patterns• job security

Profiling Violent Behavior

• Fourteen common behavioral characteristics:

1. Disgruntled over perceived injustices at work

• Angry• Upset• Annoyed about:

– Pay– Benefits– Working conditions– Discipline– The way management operates.

2. A Loner Who Is Socially Isolated

• Does not appear to have any outside interests

• He or she identifies self-worth and self-esteem with the job, and avoids socializing

• When one attempts to seek them out to invite them, they seem more than just shy

3. Poor Self-Esteem• Lacks the self-esteem necessary to

move ahead• Will often become easily frustrated• Has difficulty accepting constructive

criticism• May be extremely pessimistic,

carrying around with him or her a personal collection of stories of hurt, rejection, and powerlessness

4. Angry

• Easily angered and often blows his or her cool for even the smallest of reasons

• Not uncommon for this employee to escalate into a full-blown rage from a seemingly normal conversation

• Not uncommon for this employee to have a criminal history

5. Threatens

• Takes pleasure in directly threatening, harassing or intimidating co-workers

• Statements such as “you will be sorry for what you said” or “revenge is sweet”

6. Interest In Media Coverage of Violence

• Has an excessive interest in the mass media’s coverage of violence

• Can often be heard quoting articles about workplace violence episodes

• Suggests that if the same act occurred where he or she worked, management would finally take notice

• Might even attempt to copycat other acts of workplace violence

7. Has Asked For Help Before

• Has indirectly or directly asked for help from the organization’s employee assistance program, a co-worker, or supervisor

8. Collects Weapons• Collects weapons, particularly guns,

and may often brag about his or her collection

• Not uncommon for this employee to have subscriptions to such magazines as Soldier of Fortune or Survivalist

• Employee might also have a fascination with the military

9. Unstable Family Life

• Has grown up in a dysfunctional family, had a chaotic childhood, and/or has no support system on which to fall back

• This type of employee may disrespect animals and may have abused them as a child

10. Chronic Labor-Management Disputes

• Has a long history of ongoing labor-management disputes

• Has numerous unresolved physical or emotional injury claims

• Not uncommon for this employee to take management’s instructions as suspect

• Will routinely violate organizational policies and procedures

11. Stress• Shows constant signs of stress • Is a chronic complainer who always

seems to feel overburdened by the pace, the workload, or the physical or psychological demands of the job

• Not uncommon for this employee’s true personality to come out under stress– this may be the exact person one sees

each day—aggressive, uncompromising, and belligerent

12. Migratory Job History

• Has bounced from job to job in a relatively short time

• A history of migratory jobs should be caught at the preemployment interview and rigorously questioned

13. Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse

• May show signs of alcohol and other drug abuse

• Traditionally characterized by:– blood-shot, drooping, or watery

eyes– impairment in speech or motor skills– an unusually dishevelled

appearance

14. Vindictiveness• Will be vindictive in his or her actions or

words• Will not leave well enough alone and will

often attack the character of a person or organization

• A typical organizational sniper who takes pleasure in watching others dodge the bullets

• Not uncommon for this employee to feel little or no remorse after hurting someone

Basic Levels of Violence

• Once a person decides to act out, violence can take many forms

• Experts generally agree that it manifests itself in three levels of intensity

Level 1

• Actively or passively refuses to cooperate with superiors

• Spreads rumors and gossip to harm others

• Frequently argues with co-workers• Belligerent toward customers and

clients• Constantly swears• Makes unwanted sexual comments

Level 2• Argues increasingly with customers, co-

workers, and supervisors• Refuses to comply with the organization’s

policies and procedures• Sabotages equipment and steals the

organization’s property for revenge• Verbalizes the wish to hurt co-workers and

supervisors• Sends sexual or violent messages to co-

workers or supervisors• Regards self as victimized by management

—me against them

Level 3

• Frequently displays intense anger• Recurrent suicidal threats• Recurrent physical fights• Destruction or sabotage of

company property• Use of weapons to harm others• Commission of murder, rape, or

arson

Preventing Workplace Violence

• Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued an alert– (1) identify high-risk occupations and

workplaces– (2) inform organizations and employees

about the risk– (3) encourage organizations to gather

statistics and to take active intervention measures

The Violence Intervention and Contingency Team

• Forming a team to prevent and respond to violent situations will require some degree of tailoring to fit the organizational structure

• Members of the team should include– Management– Human resources– Health and safety– Facilities– Medical– Legal– Public relations– Security

Pre-Violence Mission

• A key component is to communicate to employees: – that they will be held accountable

for their actions– that the organization will cooperate

fully with local law enforcement in dealing with any person involved in workplace violence

Post-Violence Mission• The team should convene to review

incidents involving the potential for violence, or to recommend corrective actions or intervention strategies

• Prematurely convening a team may frustrate team members and discredit the entire mission

• The team should convene when the nature of the threat, harassment, attack, or act of sabotage is unique and falls outside the scope of the organization’s normal progressive disciplinary policy

Strategies for Dealing with Potential Violence

• Attention should be given to those employees who are directly threatened:– Involving local law enforcement– Protecting the individual’s work

environment (e.g., increasing security)– Staggering or changing the individual’s

work shift– Allowing the individual to park inside

the facility or plant– Transferring the individual to another

work area, building, or site

Threatened Employees, cont’d.

– Having the individual escorted to and from their vehicle or home

– Relocating the individual to another facility out of the region, temporarily or permanently

– Advising the individual to alter their daily routine and remove its predictability

–

Dealing with a Violent Perpetrator

The team should consider the following options concerning a violent perpetrator:

• Changing the shift or transferring to another location• Suspension with pay pending further investigation• Immediate referral to a medical department or the

organization’s employee assistance program (EAP)• Retirement• Voluntary mutual separation• Progressive discipline• Involuntary termination of employment (for cause)

Perpetrators’ Rights

• An employer can be found liable for defamation of character if he/she mistakenly reports the perpetrator as violent when the evidence suggests otherwise

• If an employer discharges an employee without validating the fact that the employee is violent, the employer can be found liable for wrongful discharge

Intervention Strategy

Intervention: A proactive strategy for recognizing, dealing with, and defusing a potentially violent act before it is too late

Types of Employees• The Normal Employee– A person who gets along with others

and resolves conflict in a constructive manner, and therefore does not pose a threat of workplace violence.

• The Covert Employee– Engages in silent, hidden, or behind-the-

scene activities designed to be disruptive to the workplace. • This employee might sabotage equipment,

leave notes, vandalize property, or leave disturbing voice mail messages or threatening faxes

Types of Employees (cont.)• The Fence-Sitter Employee– An employee on the border between

covert tactics and actual violence. • The acts will be more direct and

confrontational. • In some cases, this employee may not take

steps to hide his or her identity.• The Overt Employee– Will act out directly and openly against

the organization or person perceived to have caused him or her harm. • This employee can be highly volatile and

ready to strike at any moment.

Types of Employees (cont.)

• The Dangerous Employee– Is the potentially homicidal

employee.• This employee will be bent on

causing destruction and threatening the lives of not only himself or herself, but of others as well. • In short, this employee is a ticking

bomb waiting to go off.

Intervention Education

• Reaching out to an employee before it is too late to do so, no matter where they fall on the continuum

• Immediately recognizing and correcting unsatisfactory behavior and performance patterns before they get out of hand

Reducing Stress In The Organization

• Humor that is not harassing or combative should be encouraged

• Freedom of speech• Credit for work performed• Strong support• Reliable guidance• Solid leadership

The Intervention• Must be tempered by the realization that

violence could occur• Quickly learn to expect the unexpected

when it comes to an intervention session• Consider personal safety before an

intervention session– Face the employee and sit as close to the

exit as possible– Never allow the employee to sit between

you and the door, in case an escape is necessary

Questions??

• No seminar next week. This is the last seminar for this course. Next week is a dead week so please use it to get caught up.