Protect your employees from violence

Kelli Rodda

The tragedy that occurred in Aurora, Colo., in July was a stark reminder that violence can happen anywhere, anytime. Your nursery is not immune to violence.

There were 506 workplace homicides in 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that homicide is the fourth-leading cause of occupational fatalities and homicide is the leading cause of death for women in the workplace.

Many violent incidents at work could be avoided if leaders and employees understood how to recognize violence triggers, said Mike Staver, CEO of The Staver Group.

“Most people who act out violently at work indicate what’s going to happen through their words and behavior beforehand,” he said. “When people can recognize the warning signs, they can do more to prevent these terrible situations.”

Staver created the audio and video series 21 Ways to Defuse Anger and Calm People Down (www.thestavergroup.com).

Most people believe that violence occurs when someone is angry about certain circumstances. The truth is, they get angry over what they believe about the circumstances. When a person gets angry, said Staver, it’s because at least one of three primary triggers is in place. They feel:

1. This is unfair.
2. This is out of my control.
3. This is personal; it’s happening to me.

Note that when these factors are present they can manifest themselves in many ways. The angry employee might simply have a drop in performance level. He might make threatening comments to another employee or about the company in general. Or, in extreme circumstances, people resort to violence. The more intensely the person feels these factors, the worse the violence can get, Staver said.

To prevent workplace violence, take all warning signs very seriously, he said. Second, and this is just as important, report it right away.

“Far too often coworkers don’t report these incidents. It happens for many reasons: They believe the popular myth that people who make threats don’t act on them; they don’t want to seem like alarmists; they fear they’ll become a target; or there isn’t a sufficient workplace safety and incident reporting system in place. But when you suspect something is wrong, you should report it right away. If the leadership at your organization isn’t taking it seriously, then go to the authorities,” he said.

But companies should not place the burden fully on employees, he said.

“All organizations should make sure that they have workplace violence policies in place, that all employees have a clear understanding of the policies, and that all employees know how to take action and what to expect when they do report an incident. Managers and leaders should also be well trained in how to defuse anger in the workplace and also what kinds of situations are out of their control and demand that law enforcement be involved. There is simply too much at risk to avoid taking these actions.”