How to Mitigate the Surge of Workplace Violence

Businesses continue to experience workplace violence without prevention programs in place. Every occurrence, no matter how seemingly small, will affect the bottom line. When customers read about a disturbance, the company's reputation is in the spotlight. If employees witness an aggressive employee after a termination or a conflict among employees, this can make individuals feel unsettled, nervous, and fearful about being at work. In today’s workplace environment, owners and managers face new challenges. Given these realities, to mitigate the surge in incidents, hiring private security as part of a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan is the surest way to protect what matters. Unaddressed concerns over workplace violence will negatively affect morale and halt productivity.

Verbal and Physical Threats in the Workplace

It is telling that large corporations require employees to undergo active shooter training. Twenty years ago, some businesses were such low risk it never occurred to them to prepare for workplace violence, but today, every business needs to take notice of the threats to their employees and assets.

Sadly, workplace violence is a genuine threat, but it is not the only thing companies need to consider. In addition, workplace violence can be verbal, physical, and unaddressed, escalating into something dangerous. Disgruntled employees who communicate verbally or electronically, or who create a hostile physical workplace, should not be tolerated. Take it from a company that works with companies across the nation: these situations do not get better on their own. In some cases, employees may need to be spoken with, and sometimes, asked to leave employment.

There Are Always Red Flags

A critical part of training employees about workplace violence is teaching them to identify red flags and speak up to management. In almost every scenario, there's been something someone noticed but didn’t say. Even small concerns or alerts should be brought to the attention of human resources or the manager. Importantly, a red flag that turns out to be nothing is the best-case scenario. No business owner wants to say they knew and didn’t take safety measures to protect their people.

Some red flags to watch include excessive absences without explanation, verbal or electronic communications, social media posts, personal targets of other employees or managers, threats, hostile outbursts, or feedback. While these are a few red flags, it is crucial to act promptly if you think you need to protect your company against an employee or an outside threat. In such cases, please do not wait and contact a reputable private security firm in your area. Off Duty Officers, Inc. has a security solution specialist who can walk business owners through their unique circumstances and ensure they have the protection they deserve. Every situation is different, and the details matter significantly in determining the best security choices. For example, an employee termination or layoff will require different security measures than a high-risk business that may require daily security patrols.

Unpredictable, Predatory, and Paranoid

These behaviors can be enough of an indicator for employers to contact a security company and hire skilled workplace violence security officers. In the workplace, you have multiple people to consider, and one unpredictable employee who reacts or is unstable can make everyone less productive and even fearful. Any employee who is caught stalking or borderline harassing another employee is at high risk. If measures are to be taken to terminate them, this would be an ideal time to have private security officers on site to support the firing manager. Professional workplace security guards act as escorts off the property, collect materials, including badges and parking passes, and maintain their physical presence during the termination process to help put others at ease and ensure their safety.

As conspiracy theories and targeted marketing can create a hyper-focus for many people, paranoid behaviors in the workplace must be addressed immediately. Recognizing these challenges, managers are often not equipped to assess individual employees' behavior or may be overwhelmed by other demands on their time. Therefore, creating a workplace where people know what to look for and are encouraged to share anything suspicious helps employers identify threats early and hire trained workplace security guards to help strengthen existing security measures.

Pre-Employment Screenings

As part of an ongoing effort to improve workplace violence, pre-employment screenings are not only acceptable but expected. Extending prevention further, some private security companies can run background checks for employees and provide on-site physical security protection. A pre-employment screening need not be an elimination factor for potential employees, but knowing someone's history can inform an educated decision, depending on the role. For example, a 19-year-old college student who gets a speeding ticket that results in a misdemeanor. Does this information prevent an employer from hiring them? It starts a conversation, which is better than having no idea who you are hiring.

Managers, business owners, and human resource departments can enhance their security plans by using private security guards, whether temporarily during a termination or layoff or as long-term security coverage to keep workplace productivity at its peak. With this support, you can contact Off Duty Officers, Inc. today for a hassle-free quote and give your employees and customers peace of mind.

Call Off Duty Officers 844-285-6401 - we are standing by to stand by you in creating a safe workplace!