Question

Discuss the four elements of a workplace assessment on violence. Provide examples of workplace violence and a list of suggested management interventions.

Answer 1

The four elements of a workplace assessment on violence are:

• Customer-Client

During an incident involving customer-client violence in the workplace, the perpetrator is the employer's customer or client and the violence often occurs in conjunction with the normal duties of the worker. According to the data available online, the professions with the highest risk of customer / client abuse are medical and social service employees who are four times more likely to be a victim than the average employee of the private sector.

For e.g. In the event of a death of a patient the family members of a patient assaulting doctor or healthcare professionals assuming that due care was not taken while the treatment.

• Worker to Worker

Worker to Worker type of workplace violence is typically committed by a current or former employee, and the motivating factor is often interpersonal or work-related problems or failures and traumas at the workplace.

For e.g. A manager is being beaten by an ex sales staff citing that he was being put under pressure to make sales.

• Domestic Violence at Workplace

In the workplace, domestic violence is often committed by someone who is not an employee or a former employee of the organization. This type of incident is typical as the perpetrator knows exactly where his / her partner is going to be during working hours and then the violence is committed. Women employees are targeted more as compared to males.

For e.g. Husband of a female employee entering her office and thrashing her because she has applied for a divorce.

• Ideological Violence

For moral, religious or political purposes, ideological workplace violence is directed at an institution, its employees, and/or properties. The violence is perpetrated on the basis of their convictions by extremists and value-driven organisations. Many of the recent active shooter and terrorist incidents around the world falls under this category.

For e.g. On 7 January 2015 at about 11:30 local time, two brothers, Said and Cherif Kouachi, forced their way into the offices of the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris and committed mass shooting an violence killing 12 people and injuring 11 others.

The management interventions which can prevent workplace violence are:

• Management need to create a team for such incidents. Teamwork in a crisis situation is important. Before an incident occurs, a well-trained team needs to be in place so that they can quickly execute the counter plan if necessary.
• The management must address all the vulnerability which is visible at the workplace. The help of an expert can also be taken,
• Provide you staff with information and training on how to act during violence and where to report such incidents if they go unnoticed.
• The security measures at all the offices should be strict and all unwanted members trying to enter the offices should be prevented by the security staff.
• The management should establish a Zero tolerance code of conduct for such events and any employee or ex-employee who is being involved in workplace violence should be strictly dealt with.
• The management should motivate the employees to accept individual differences. Help the teams realize that a crucial factor in team strength is the variations between each member. Arrange activities that will help teams get to know each other and understand the strengths and weaknesses of the person.