Violence in the Workplace

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=160 BGCOLOR="#333333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="03cdedc2ddualp.png"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D"><U><B>Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id8.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U><B>Contact Us</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id147.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FAQs"><U><B>FAQs</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Dr. Silverman"><U><B>About Dr. Silverman</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id146.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Great links"><U><B>Great links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Mind Reader© archive"><U><B>The Mind Reader© archive</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="03d64643.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#666633" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D</B></FONT>    |     <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dr. Wade Silverman, Ph.D"><U>home</U></A></FONT></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> Violence in the Workplace</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Violence in the United States is increasing at an alarming rate. In fact, one specific type of violence, namely workplace violence, has increased dramatically in the last ten years. </div> <div> Contrary to the popular belief that employees are violent, the vast majority of cases of workplace violence occur as a result of armed robbery and related crimes perpetrated by persons from outside the workplace. Eighty-two percent of  homicides in the workplace are crime related. Seven percent of U.S. employees report that they have been threatened in the workplace and three percent have actually experienced violence by co-workers. Overwhelmingly, the targets of violence, in and out of the workplace, are women. Of all women who die on the job forty-nine percent are victims of assault compared to only eighteen percent for men.</div> <div> Corporations concerned about workplace violence will need to focus their efforts on establishing an environment that is safe and secure from both external and internal threats. This might entail hiring a security firm to redesign work areas and to equip them with monitoring devices. A much less likely threat is the occurrence of an employee going "postal"; that is, inflicting violence on co-workers. In almost all such cases the perpetrator has probably made threats or has chronically complained about working conditions. His/her productivity has usually decreased as well as the quality of his/her work just previous to a breakdown or severe outburst. This employee must be confronted before his/her threats become a reality. Companies should have a "threat team" or at least an employee assistance program professional who is assigned to work specifically on this kind of problem. In addition, the company should have in place a zero tolerance policy for violence with specific procedures for its implementation. If violence or threats are not addressed immediately they tend to reoccur and worsen. </div> <div> The direct victims and even the witnesses of workplace violence often suffer from psychological disturbances that can negatively impact their ability to work and enjoy life for a considerable period of time following the episode of workplace violence.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>