The first phase in a workplace violence prevention strategy is to acknowledge the problem. We talked about how to do that last week. Now, let’s move to phase two: making efforts to anticipate workplace violence before it happens.

Look for Warning Signs of Violence

Our understanding of violence and violent behavior has advanced. We can now create psychological profiles to identify who in our organization is most likely to commit an act of violence. Employers need to be on the lookout for certain employee behaviors that serve as warning signs of violence. Red flags include:

• Constantly making slighting references about other people;
• Never being happy with what is going on;
• Exhibiting a constant need to assert one’s supposed superiority or opinion on others;
• A compulsive need to control others;
• Feelings of paranoia and that others are “out to get” them;
• Seeing “conspiracies” at all levels of society;
• Consistent and persistent unreasonableness;
• Arousal of uneasiness among co-workers just by their mere presence;
• An obsession with firearms;
• Fascination with the actions of the military, law enforcement and/or underground military groups;
• Failure to take responsibility for mistakes and faults (it’s always somebody else’s fault);
• Constant taking or threatening legal action against the company and others;
• A tendency to blow things out of proportion;
• Exhibiting hate and anger issues on and off the job;
• Admiration or approval of hate incidents and violence such as shooting sprees, executions and acts of terrorism and domestic violence;
• The constant uttering of threats (”he’ll get his” or “one of these days I’ll have my say”);
• Lack of people skills combined with skill at performing tasks and paying attention to details;
• Attitudes or acts of sexism and/or sexual harassment;
• Problems with the law, even of a minor nature; and
• A possible addiction to alcohol, prescription or illegal drugs.

The Triggers of Violence

Employees who show any one or combination of these behaviors may be a threat to engage in workplace violence. Hostile feelings can build up for weeks, months and even years. The trigger that finally sets them off is generally an emotional event that can happen at any time or in any form. For example, the person might experience humiliation as a result of being proven wrong, losing out on a promotion or pay raise or being rejected by a love interest or spouse.

The Impact of Downsizing

Organizations going through downsizing need to be especially alert. Fear or actual loss of a job can cause significant trauma to just about anyone. But to a potentially violent employee, the stress generated by losing a job may be enough to make them explode into actual violence. They may experience:

1. A lack of structure, order, routine and stability. Alarm clocks aren’t set and meals may be missed;
2. Significant physical or hygienic changes. Some people grow beards or stop brushing their teeth; and
3. A feeling of inferiority, which warrants superiority. When down, the best way to go up for some is to take the top down with them.

It’s also important to remember that many people who lose their job also experience a loss of identity. Let me explain. To some degree, we all equate our “selves” with our job titles. For example, in social situations, we tend to introduce ourselves using both our name and job title: “Hi, I am Robert; I am a personal security consultant.”

Ultimately, though, most people are able to separate their identity from their jobs. Being a personal security consultant is what they do, but it is not who they are. But a mentally unbalanced person may be unable to separate self from job. If that person loses a job, he might feel like his life and soul are being taken away and react with disproportionate anger and violence.

Pay Attention to Your Layoff Process

For companies who are downsizing, it’s important to involve HR and employee assistance programs in your process of laying off an employee and, even more importantly, in helping those you must let go get back on their feet.

During your exit interview:

• Be aware of the worker’s life events;
• Show respect for the worker and allow him to maintain his dignity;
• Don’t make it personal;
• Have a support team for the worker in place;
• Expect irrational behavior;
• Have an exit package on hand;
• Ensure that ID cards and passes are returned and security codes changed;
• Have security present, in case laws are broken; and
• Make others aware if you suspect the employee to be dangerous.

To help the worker cope:

• Establish outplacement assistance. Have crisis councilors in place and leave the phone lines open for them to call for assistance.
• Offer help applying for unemployment insurance;
• Offer help preparing a resume;
• Provide a list of online resources;
• Print out options;
• Assist disgruntled employees, settle any grievances and defuse negativity;
• Maintain contact; and
• If you suspect there is potential danger, including to the worker himself or his loved ones, involve the law enforcement if necessary.

Conclusion

It’s incumbent upon employers and their safety directors to understand the signs of violence, identify those who display them and anticipate problems before they erupt. Mentally disturbed and potentially violent people often lack a social safety net. So one thing managers can do to prevent violence is to encourage employees to maintain strong social networks at work and at home. Peers have a way of anticipating disaster before it happens. Ultimately, however, the organization might have to confront the problem head on and take steps to address the employee and his potentially violent behavior. We will talk about how to do that when we wrap up the series next week.

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