Last week, we explained what organizations can do to anticipate threats of workplace violence before they burst into actual acts. If acts of violence do occur, it’s obviously bad. Just how bad may well depend on your next move. There may still be a ways to contain the problem before it escalates. Let’s wrap up this series by focusing on these techniques.

How to Deal with a Violent Person

When acts of aggression occur in the workplace, somebody has to confront the aggressor and try to defuse the situation. The person who confronts the aggressor—presumably a manager—should apply the principles of conflict resolution. University of California, Davis’ Division of Human Resources identifies some of the tactics the manager can try:

• Responding quietly and calmly and avoid sudden movements or outbursts that may provoke retaliation.
• Asking questions. The aggressor may simply want attention, which he or she interprets as respect.
• Offering an apology to create a sense of calm.
• Summing up in the manager’s own words what the aggressor said, which might calm the aggressor and reassure him that he’s being listened to.
• Setting firm limits but in a calm and non-confrontational voice and manner.
• Calmly asking the aggressor to stop the behavior and consider the consequences of his actions, including the potential for official action by the organization and/or law enforcement.
• Reiterating the above remarks if the aggressive behavior continues.
• Asking the individual to leave the facility or grounds.

If these techniques fail to diffuse the situation, you’ll need to signal for help and most likely need to get law enforcement involved.

Random Acts of Violence Hold their Own

An estimated 85% of all workplace assaults and 55% of all workplace murders happen in service industry worksites or retail trades. Occupations where the risk of violence tends to be highest are those that involve handling money or engaging in person-to-person contact with the public, as well as health care and social service work. Some of the things organizations involved in these activities can do to improve security:

• Use high-watt external premise lighting (paying special attention to visibility in high-risk areas);
• Keep cash in timed drop type safes and post signs explaining that a “timed drop type safes are in use”;
• Offer robbery response training;
• Hire violence in the workplace consultants;
• Install silent alarms and video cameras everywhere;
• Hire security guards;
• Require the use of badges;
• Establish security checkpoints;
• Offer employee assistance programs; and
• Provide crisis intervention training.

Conclusion

Responsibility for preventing and, when prevention fails, containing the risk of workplace violence falls squarely upon the employer, especially in these economically stressful times. Every organization needs a prediction - prevention plan that incorporates elements of anticipation and action. Proper hiring and firing practices are essential, too. Employers must screen employees for signs of violence in their history, especially if the job involves a lot of contact with co-workers or the public. Employees who display violent tendencies on the job should be carefully monitored if not terminated outright. Failure to take proactive measures leaves the company vulnerable to lawsuits and loss of reputation; more importantly, it creates danger to human life.

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