Returning to the Office: Mitigating Your Workplace Violence Risk
Welcome!
I’m Susan. I help leaders and organizations increase their impact, confidence, and results through coaching and unique people strategies and programs that wow employees and boost business!
How’s the return to the office working out for you?
I know many companies are easing back into the workplace and taking a measured approach, which is great, as there are so many variables we need to consider to ensure employee safety.
In addition to the obvious precautions against COVID-19 outbreaks, an even less pleasant aspect that experts agree may be an increasing area of risk is that of workplace violence. As many workers continue to struggle with physical, mental, and emotional stress from the pandemic, they are more vulnerable to becoming disgruntled or aggrieved, resulting in violence. Disagreements over politics, vaccinations, mask-wearing and other hot-button topics also could fuel violent workplace conflicts.
Factor in personal challenges at home, economic uncertainty, and the ongoing shifts in the workplace and you have a perfect storm. Overwhelmed employees may be dealing with any combination of psychological stressors and disorders, not limited to post-traumatic stress disorders, confusion, anxiety, anger, social isolation, loneliness, and health anxiety. As workplaces reopen, some employees may fear they are being forced to choose between their health and their livelihoods.
Unfortunately, workplace violence and mass shootings are all-too common in the US and with no meaningful gun control on the horizon, employers need a strategy in place to mitigate the risk and a response plan should an incident occur. Sadly, in the SF/Bay Area, we were reminded of this reality with the recent mass shooting at the VTA rail yard in San Jose in late May. While we may never know all the circumstances and motives behind this tragedy, it appears that there were warning signs for years prior that had they been recognized, raised and addressed sooner, may have prevented the senseless loss of lives.
Managers are key to identifying red flags, offering support, and escalating concerning behavior to HR. When it comes to risk mitigation, early intervention is crucial to preventing an individual from harming themselves or others and making sure they get the help they need.
Specifically, here’s some things you can do:
1. As part of your return-to-office procedures, take the opportunity to underscore your commitment to a safe work environment, including your zero-tolerance policy for workplace violence and steps you are taking to prevent violence in the workplace. If you have a policy in place, take time to reacquaint your employees with it.
2. At a minimum, properly train supervisors, managers, and HR professionals on the humane and sensitive handling of employee performance and corrective action conversations, disciplinary actions, terminations, reductions-in-force, and any other difficult conversations they may need to have with employees from time to time. Ensuring employees are treated with dignity and respect at all times, but especially during difficult times, is not only the decent and right thing to do, but it can be key to preventing the shame and rage that employees feel when such sensitive situations are not handled well and can result in vengeful, violent behavior. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
3. Watch out for warning signs. These can include:
Trigger events – many cases of workplace violence can be tied to a trigger event, such as an employee being disciplined, fired, or trying to cope with the breakup of a relationship.
Changes in behavior – any noticeable change in an employees’ usual behavior is reason for a supervisor or HR to meet with the employee to identify concerns that may need to be addressed.
Inability to accept blame – employees who refuse to take responsibility for their actions and blame others may be more at risk for becoming violent.
Direct or veiled threats – an employee who references violence but doesn’t make outright threats still poses a great risk and must be addressed.
4. Take a phased-in approach to returning to the workplace. Let employees ease back into their pre-pandemic routines, provide support and identify potential warning signs in behavior.
5. In addition to your Employee Assistance Plan (EAP), ensure you have adequate mental health resources available to your employees and their family members as part of your health care offerings. Be sure to regularly advertise their availability and how to access.
6. Train managers and HR to recognize early signs of psychological distress, as those who work closely with an individual are often first to notice a change in behavior and/or witness threats of violence (either direct or veiled). Be sure to provide a means of reporting concerning behavior, such as a helpline, confidential email address, or online portal that can provide reporting employees anonymity and ease any fear of retribution.
7. You may also consider training HR professionals and managers in de-escalation techniques to keep crises from spiraling out of control. This can also include making sure that they are aware of your local and national crisis hotlines (suicide or mental health crisis) that they have at their disposal. Obviously, prevention is ideal, but knowing how to handle a crisis once it arises could prevent another workplace tragedy.
Remember that employees are human beings with complex lives that don’t end the moment they walk into the office. In these times of change, be sure to connect regularly with them and be prepared to respond with confidentiality, care, and empathy if/when personal challenges are shared. Remember, if they trust you enough to share, honor that trust by listening and helping them locate the resources and support they need.
If you suspect something is off, contact your HR leader immediately to strategize and come up with a plan to help you navigate and address the situation safely and professionally. Whatever you do, don’t ignore the situation or downplay your gut feelings. The sooner you act, the better off you’ll all be. You and they are not alone!
If you are in need of more individualized support in mitigating your risk of workplace violence as you return to the office, please reach out to me directly and I’d be happy to get you connected to professionals that specialize in this area.
Additional Resource:
References/Sources:
https://www.beazley.com/beazley_academy/back_to_work_workplace_violence_in_the_age_of_covid-19.html
https://www.workplacementalhealth.org/mental-health-topics/violence-in-the-workplace
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