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September 15, 2003

Do You Know...

Next Monday, September 22, is Gabriel Squailia's birthday! Please join all of us at Astron Solutions in wishing Gabriel, our Research Librarian, a happy day filled with cake and presents!

Also celebrating an anniversary is Jason Mitchell, our Statistical Analyst. September 5 was Jason's first anniversary with the Astron team. Congratulations, Jason!

Effectively Countering Workplace Violence

Recent tragedies at Lockheed Martin and Windy City Core Supply Co. have once again brought national attention to violence in the workplace. In this issue of Astronology, we look at the thorny questions that surround violence in the workplace, and what you can do to prevent and treat it.

While violent deaths on the job involving robbery or other external threats are far more likely than homicide from within, the nightmarish scenario of a current or former employee killing coworkers has lodged itself in American popular consciousness. In 2001, the last year for which statistics are available, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 53 people were fatally shot by coworkers. During that year, excluding the victims of the September 11 attacks, 639 workers died by homicide - a statistic that has been in steady decline since 1994. Some argue that fear of workplace homicides has increased while the likelihood has decreased.

Most incidents of workplace violence are related to robberies, and endanger workers involved in cash transactions more than other groups. Statistically speaking, cab drivers and chauffeurs are most likely to bear the brunt of violence. In fact, according to the Department of Labor, these professions are even more dangerous than police work. While comparatively infrequent, irrational, passion-driven events such as this summer's killings have made all of us feel vulnerable to violence in the workplace.

Robberies and other violent incidents involving a previously unknown perpetrator can only be met with increased security. Violence from within, however, can be countered by a number of strategies, many of which involve HR in a preventative or even investigative role. Remember that intimidation, assault (sexual or otherwise), and domestic violence are far more pervasive than homicide.

The National Safe Workplace Institute has identified the characteristics of a high-risk workplace:

Chronic labor/management disputes
Frequent grievances filed by employees
A disproportionate number of injury claims, especially psychological
Understaffing or excessive demands for overtime
An authoritarian management style

Analysis has even suggested the profile of the perpetrator of workplace violence, borne out by both of the recent cases named above:

Male
35 years or older
Previous history of violence toward women, children, or animals
Owns a weapon
Reflects self-esteem externally connected with his job
Minimal outside interests

According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), "The best protection employers can offer is to establish a zero-tolerance policy toward workplace violence against or by their employees. The employer should establish a workplace violence prevention program or incorporate the information into an existing accident prevention program, employee handbook, or manual of standard operating procedures. It is critical to ensure that all employees know the policy and understand that all claims of workplace violence will be investigated and remedied promptly."

You can find model workplace violence policies at the National Institute for the Prevention of Workplace Violence, Inc. The OSHA website also provides a wealth of information on the topic.

Strategies to prevent violence from within the workplace must be based on a willingness to take decisive action. While some fear that legal action will be taken against intrusive employers, the more chilling risk is that an employer will, through inaction, fail to protect its employees against violence.

Threats, assaults, and resultant complaints should always be investigated. In most cases of internal workplace violence, employees signal their intent to do harm in the workplace long before an incident. Doug Williams, who killed six coworkers at Lockheed Martin this summer in the middle of an anger management workshop, had garnered a number of complaints before he told a coworker of his intentions. After a company counseling session, he said, "One of these days, they're going to (expletive) me off and I'm going to come here and shoot some people."

Of course, most clues will be less explicit. In an article entitled "Vigilance Stops Violence and Lawsuits" (Workforce, October 2002, pp. 38-44), Janet Wiscombe writes,

"…[Gary] Mathiason[, workplace violence law expert,] tells about an HR manager who recently contacted him with a gnawing concern. An employee had come to him after visiting a coworker at home. The reporting employee said he was shocked at seeing several weapons. The HR manager doubted that it was a workplace concern because the employee who allegedly had the weapons was soft-spoken and had no disciplinary problems.

"Still, the HR manager wondered if there should be some kind of follow-up. At Mathiason's suggestion, the company did launch an investigation. Coworkers were asked if they felt uncomfortable or threatened by anyone at work. Two employees broke into tears and reported repeated death threats to gays and Jews from the employee who had all the guns. The investigation also showed that the employee in question had prior criminal convictions for violent offenses.

"These disclosures allowed the company to carefully take action to remove the threatening employee from the workplace and to gain the assistance of law-enforcement officials. It was a serious problem that could have grown far worse, Mathiason says, and illustrates how vital it is to investigate potential threats, and to intervene."

A qualified individual - either a trained employee or a third party - should be designated to conduct such investigations. Training in handling potentially violent situations may save lives in a crisis. An understanding of how to de-escalate these crises swiftly, effectively, and calmly is hardly intuitive.

Statements should be taken from all persons logging complaints, and an attempt made to substantiate such claims should they be anonymous. If analysis indicates that the reporting has a factual basis, take action, and document it.

In normal circumstances, disciplinary action would involve an initial warning, followed by suspension, and discharge or termination if the behavior recurred. However, in situations where a serious threat to safety is involved, investigation may lead to reasonable grounds for termination.

In the case of an ex-employee (or ex-spouse) threatening a current employee, a restraining order may help defuse a dangerous situation. Bearing the legal costs for an injunction may save a far more costly altercation in the future.

If the complaint results in termination, be sure to discuss security measures (the Society for Human Resource Management [SHRM] suggests notifying local law enforcement, reassignment, and change in work schedule as options) with the employee who logged the complaint.

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ISSN Number 1549-0467