Violence in the Workplace

Recent surveys reveal that ‘violence at work’ is still a major issue and in some cases is on the increase. For example, the British Crime Survey (2004/5) confirms what a number of trade unions and industry bodies have been stating for some time.

Violence Can Take Many Forms

If you work as a policeman or security guard, maybe you anticipate some level of threat as part of your job. But perhaps you belong to a different profession – one that you don’t normally associate with violent conduct. Nevertheless, as you read the daily news, you may be feeling more uneasy about your safety. A few recent findings may serve to illustrate the point:

1 out of 10 teachers have experienced violence from pupils or their parents
(according to the NASUWT)
4 out of 10 nurses report having been threatened or abused by patients
(according to the Royal College of Nursing)
7 out of 10 shop workers have been threatened with violence from members of the public
(according to the British Retail Consortium)
9 out of 10 parking attendants and traffic wardens report some form of violence
(according to UNISON)

You may not have experienced violence from disgruntled members of the public, but what about threats, intimidation, harassment or other forms of inappropriate behaviour from your colleagues or bosses at work

Violence is Expensive

Apart from any physical damage and personal distress that you may experience, violence at work can be costly whether you are an employer or an employee. Consider for a moment the impact of low morale, increased stress levels, high staff turnover rates and, of course, the direct costs of absence due to sickness, investigating incidents and the heavy expense of compensation claims.

A teacher in a recent case was awarded £330,000 compensation from Birmingham City Council after she was threatened by an intruder in the school where she worked. Employer or employee, you cannot afford to be complacent. If you feel unsure about how to address the issue yourself, then call in one of our advisors and we will conduct an assessment for you.

Violence is not Inevitable

Regardless of where threats or acts of violence come from, avoid the trap of thinking they are “an inevitable part of the job”. Employers are responsible for identifying hazards, assessing levels of risk, identifying who is at risk and taking precautions to eliminate or mange risk, just as they are for any other workplace hazards.

If you want your policy against violence to be successful and defeat the idea that violence is inevitable, you must make it part of your organisation’s culture. For that to happen, all senior managers must embrace it as well as every employee. So how are you to go about it?

What You Should Do

As I mentioned earlier, you first need to assess the extent of the risk and that means undertaking a systematic enquiry. Rather than “assuming” that there isn’t a problem in your workplace, you need to assemble some hard facts.

You also need to publish a policy document that expresses your organisation’s determination that no employees will be exposed to unacceptable threats of violence from any source and broadly speaking what actions you have taken to minimise the risks. Your policy should include precautions to prevent incidents arising in the first place and then measures to effectively deal with incidents that do occur, before they escalate out of hand.

To ensure widespread acceptance and cooperation, you need to communicate the information to all your employees and then actively consult them in order to monitor how successful you have been in implementing the policy.

Make it Part of the Culture

If all this activity is treated as a one-off project it is unlikely to have any long-term impact. To make it part of your culture, you need to be regularly bringing the issue up with your staff, using whatever means of communication you have available, such as in-house newsletters, Intranets, notice boards, training, management briefings, etc. Emphasise zero tolerance and remind people about the precautions that are in place and their responsibility for helping to counteract violence.

As an employer who is a regular reader of our newsletter, you are genuinely concerned about the welfare of your staff, but perhaps you are unsure how to tackle the risks and in any case you may not have sufficient time to devote to the practicalities. This is where we can help by providing the expertise and resource to ensure you comply with legal requirements and provide a safe working environment for all your employees.

Contact EDP HS&E Consultants for all your health, safety and environment needs. We can check your current arrangements and advise you about any changes or improvements you need to make.

To discuss your requirements, without any obligation on your part, please gives us a call on 01744 766000 or complete the Enquiry Form on our website.

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