How to Deal With Violence at Work

Violent incidents can happen in any workplace.

The risks are higher in occupations such as policing and health care, and for those who work alone, in high-crime areas, or at night. But even those of us in roles that we consider safe may, one day, encounter violence as we go about our business.

Workplace violence can be devastating, particularly as few of us are trained in how to respond to it.

This article gives you the essential information that you need to prepare yourself and your team for the worst, and to deal with the consequences.

What Is Work-Related Violence?

Definitions vary, but a useful description of violence is that it is a form of aggression where physical force is used "to harm or damage persons or property, or to interfere with personal rights or freedom."

This can include verbal threats, even if they aren't carried out; spitting and assault (punching, kicking and headbutting, for instance); weaponized violence (using improvised objects, knives or guns); and, in the worst cases, homicide.

Work-related violence has many different causes. But, according to research by the University of Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center, incidents generally fall into one of four categories:

1. Criminal intent: violence committed by someone not associated with the organization, who is engaged in acts such as burglary.
   For instance, a retail worker being robbed of the day's takings while locking up at night, or a caregiver being assaulted while visiting a patient.
2. Customer/client: violence committed by someone associated with the organization.
   Violence can be a recognized issue in some roles – in prisons or psychiatric facilities, for instance. In others, it cannot usually be anticipated by the people that it affects – a librarian being slapped by a reader, for example.
3. Worker-on-worker: violence committed by one employee against another, or against a group of co-workers.
   For example, a disagreement that escalates into an assault.
4. Personal relationship: violence committed by someone who doesn't work for the organization, but who knows someone that does.
   For example, a co-worker's partner turns up at the office and a domestic abuse situation spills into the work environment.

Work-related violence of all kinds is a growing global problem. In the U.S., for example, nearly two million incidents are reported each year.

Many other instances go unwitnessed and unreported, but factors such as the #MeToo campaign have started to encourage more people to come forward.

The Impact of Work-Related Violence

Violence can, of course, be traumatic for the victim, and distressing for witnesses, co-workers and family members.

Usually, the physical scars are minor – cuts, bruises, and so on. More serious injuries, and fatalities, are rare.

More common, and often more damaging, are the psychological effects of an assault. Research shows that victims often experience shock, denial, fear, anger, guilt, or anxiety. In some cases these reactions can even lead to self-harm.

Damage is inflicted at the organizational level, too. The shock of a violent event may lead to a drop in morale, a fall in productivity, or an increase in absenteeism.

Reputations can also suffer. Clients and shareholders may lose confidence in your organization. Hiring managers might struggle to recruit and retain staff. And there could be significant financial implications, including litigation from those affected: the total cost to U.S. businesses of workplace violence has been estimated at $120 billion per year.

The perpetrators' lives, too, might never be the same. Their relationships may be irreparably damaged. They could lose their jobs, and even their freedom, if their actions lead to jail.

Preventing Work-Related Violence

The best way to deal with work-related violence is to minimize the chances of it happening. One way to do this is with an anti-violence policy.

An anti-violence policy may not have the power to prevent tempers from fraying, or disagreements from getting out of hand. But it can make it clear to all employees that violence won't be tolerated, and offer guidance on how to respond if it does occur.

Your organization's anti-violence policy should:

• Prohibit all forms of bullying and violence, provide examples of such situations, and outline a process to follow in each case.
• State who to notify in the event of a violent incident, and encourage people to report it.
• Include an anti-retaliation provision, to protect people who provide information or participate in investigations.

To ensure that the policy is enacted throughout your organization, include it in your onboarding process for new employees, and conduct training for existing staff. Refresh the training each year, and ask people to affirm that they have read and understood the document.

How to Respond to Work-Related Violence

When violence erupts, the best way to respond in the moment will depend on exactly what is happening. If violence is a foreseeable part of your role, your first responsibility is to follow any formal guidelines or rules that you've been given.

There are, however, broad "best practices" that you can apply to most violent situations, even when you feel unprepared or ill-equipped to deal with them.

Don't Ignore Early Warning Signs

If someone behaves in an intimidating or bullying manner, or is verbally abusive, first call your manager or HR team and ask for assistance.

If you have to tackle the situation alone, keep your emotions under control. Don't challenge, judge, glare at, or belittle the aggressor, and avoid telling them to "calm down."

Instead, take them seriously, and let them know that you want to talk. Stay calm, speak slowly and clearly, and listen to what they have to say. Be empathic, and explain that you want to understand why they're upset, and to find out what would resolve the situation. Paraphrase the person's words back to them, to show them that you "get it."

Pay attention to your body language, too. Look attentive, keep your arms low and your hands unclenched, and allow the other person plenty of space. Stay on their level: stand if they are standing, and sit if they are sitting.

If the aggressor remains agitated, try using delaying tactics, such as offering them a glass of water. This can buy you time until help arrives, and it gives them a chance to cool down.

Never ignore what is happening. Violence rarely happens without warning, and this behavior is your warning. If you don't try to defuse it, it could escalate into something more serious.

Watch for Escalation

If the aggression increases and the situation deteriorates, redouble your efforts to get through to them. Continue to speak slowly and calmly. If an audience begins to gather, politely ask them to leave the area.

Take any direct threats seriously and ask the aggressor, in a non-threatening way, to leave the premises. Secure your own safety first, then the safety of others nearby, and move into a space where your path to the nearest exit is clear.

React Quickly

If the aggressor becomes violent, set off a panic alarm or yell and shout loudly. This will attract attention and summon assistance, and should discourage the aggressor.

If all this fails, follow these three steps:

1. Run: leave immediately, if you believe that you or others are in danger. Leave your belongings behind and go quickly to the nearest well-lit, safe, public location.
2. Hide: if leaving the area doesn't work, try to hide. Stay out of sight, and stay quiet. Lock windows and doors, or barricade yourself in, if necessary.
   When you're safe, call the police and give them as much information as possible. Prevent others from going into the danger zone.
3. Fight: fighting back is acceptable and may be necessary in cases where bodily harm is occurring to you or to others, or where a life is in danger.

If you find yourself in such a situation, concentrate on incapacitating the aggressor. Commit yourself fully to the actions that you take – the aggressor will take advantage of any perceived weakness or indecision on your part.

After an Incident

Your priority after a violent incident must be to check that you and any other victims remain safe. If anyone is injured, provide first aid or seek medical attention at the earliest opportunity.

There may be a need for both immediate and longer-term emotional support. When calm is restored, discuss post-traumatic counseling, and carefully manage the person affected in the days, weeks and months to come. Tap into support networks, too – friends and allies can make all the difference.

Document and report the incident to your manager or HR team. Record what happened and who was involved, even in cases where violence was threatened but not carried out.

Depending on the nature of the incident, others in your workplace may also need care and attention. Allow everyone time to recover, and consider additional security or other actions that could prevent a similar situation from occurring in the future.

You'll need to decide on the consequences for the aggressor. If threats were made but no violent acts carried out, a discussion and an action plan to prevent a recurrence, or disciplinary action, will be appropriate. However, if physical violence occurred, you may have no option but to terminate employment and inform the police.

Before you take action, check your policies to ensure that you are in compliance, and consult with an employment law attorney if you have any questions.