Workplace Violence

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Workplace violence is an act of aggression, physical assault, or threatening behavior that occurs in a work setting and causes physical or emotional harm to customers, coworkers, or managers. Broad definitions of workplace violence also often include acts of sabotage on work-site property.

Workplace violence has emerged as a subject of considerable interest to both small and large businesses in recent years. Some small business owners deny that this grim issue is a concern for them, but in reality, workplace violence can strike even tiny start-up firms. And as many analysts and business owners have charged, even the threat of violence can have a dreadful impact on the culture and productivity of a small business. Whereas employees of larger firms generally have more avoidance options to choose from when forced to share workspace with a volatile employee, the more modest facilities and resources of smaller businesses do not provide the same level of protection.

Workplace violence is an issue of which all businesses should be aware. An average of 16 people per day died while at work during 2004. Of these fatalities, 2.2 per day were the victims of homicide. The annual workplace safety data published by the U.S. Department of Labor indicated that 809 workplace homicides took place across America in 2004. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) reports that on average they estimate that 2 million employees are victimized annually while at work. When it comes to specific statistics, the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics on violent crimes other than homicide are for the year 2003. In that year, 728,000 instances of violent crime were reportedly perpetrated on victims while they were on the job. These crimes include simple assault, aggravated assault, robbery, and rape/sexual assault. Although these crime statistics show a decline over recent years, they also highlight the need for business owners to take precautions and proactive measures to protect employees and coworkers and reduce the likelihood of an incident of violent crime.

ADDRESSING WORKPLACE VIOLENCE BEFORE IT ERUPTS

Small business owners can take several steps to address the specter of workplace violence. Hiring and interviewing practices should reflect the company's desire to establish and maintain a good workforce, and the owner should do his or her best to establish a company culture that does not tolerate non-violent forms of intimidation. After all, insulting and intimidating behavior—which may lead to physically violent behavior if left unchecked—can wreak significant mental harm on its

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victims, and may even provoke a violent response by victims who feel that they have no other recourse. Indeed, some studies have indicated that victims of harassment actually become less productive than employees who suffer from physical assaults.

Many human resource specialists recommend written violence-prevention policies and regular training sessions to inform...