1. Workplace Violence
How to anticipate, avoid, and protect
Steve Lovig, PHR, MS
Adjunct Professor, Coles College of Business Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw Campus
2. Each week in the US:
# of employees murdered while on
the job?
# of employees assaulted while at
work?
Estimated cost?
Murder ….
#1 cause of death on the job…
Accidents - #1 cause of death…
Steve Lovig
Kennesaw State University 2015
3. Types of violence
Employer directed
Domestic related
Commercial related
Terrorism
Steve Lovig
Kennesaw State University 2015
# of employees murdered while on the job? 20
# of employees assaulted while at work? 18,000
Estimated cost? $70 Billion
Murder is the #2 cause of death overall on the job. Murder is #1 cause of death on the job for woman. Accidents are #1 cause of death on the job for men.
Employer directed – employee or former employee is violent toward company
Domestic related -- – employee, former employee, disgruntled former spouse, other family member is violent toward person
Terrorism – violence geared toward making a statement
Physical security
Develop effective internal policies and procedures
Train your supervisors
Adjust to the risk
Offered a threat?
History of violence?
Instincts?
Trigger?
Narcissistic
Sour personalities
Everyday events become “slights” by “enemies”
Perpetual victims of injustice
Controlling & demanding
Co-workers are uncomfortable, anxious
Devotees of conspiracy theories
Multiple gun ownership, excessive interest in para-military, law enforcement, …
Always someone else’s fault
Frequent filing of grievances
Daily mountains from molehills
Anger, interest in & approval of violence
Fringe political or racist groups
Cryptic statements
Task, not people oriented. Empathetic & insensitive
Inappropriate humor
Minor criminal record
History of drug & alcohol abuse
Fringe political or racist groups
Cryptic statements
Profound humiliation or rejection
Trauma, loss
Appears anxious, disturbed
Personality traits become worse
Take threats seriously; Report concerns confidentially; Investigate complaints; Do background checks, criminal records, ; Monitor drug/alcohol abuse – pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, random
Georgia law says no employer may search locked, privately owned vehicles in its parking lots. In addition, employers may not bar employees who possess a Georgia firearms license from bringing a legally owned firearm into a parking lot in a privately owned vehicle when the firearm is locked, out of sight, in a trunk, glove box, or other compartment.
Secured parking lot exception. Employers may continue to conduct searches to ban concealed weapons from vehicles if they provide a secure parking lot that restricts public access through the use of a security gate, security station, and/or security officers.
Permitted Searches
The ban on searches does not apply to:
• Searches by law enforcement officers with valid search warrants, searches based on probable cause under exigent circumstances, and searches consented to by employees based on probable cause that employee unlawfully possesses company property
• Searches of locked vehicles to prevent a reasonable and immediate threat to human life, safety, and health
Best to spot trouble before employment by appropriate interviewing, pre-employment assessment, drug screening….
Design solo, task-oriented work
Terminate in a matter-of-fact way, with courtesy. Benefit package?
Provide feedback and accountability - “Shine the bright light of scrutiny.”
Do not let pressure build.
Choose impartial person to terminate. HAVE A WITNESS
Terminate at end of day. Do not humiliate
Let person vent
Decision made by company, not person
Alternative dispute resolution
Open door policy
Peer review
Mediation
Arbitration
Employee Assistance Programs
Not “goodness of our hearts” ; Business necessity
