Prevent Workplace Violence
Workplace violence is a much bigger problem than perceived. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that more than twenty thousand employees from private institutions reported workplace violence in 2018. To ensure this no longer continues to be a problem, employers need to take certain initiatives to ensure this does not occur to any one of the people behind their business.
For you to prevent workplace violence in your office, use the following guide as a benchmark:
The Office Formalities
1 – Implement a Zero-Tolerance Policy for Violence
Every one of your employees deserves to work in a place where they feel safe. Once an employee is physically hurt or assaulted by a colleague—and there is sufficient proof to put the blame on one party—then those at fault deserve to be punished accordingly.
Do not have a zero-tolerance to violence policy if you’re not going to take it seriously. It is a rule to protect your staff—not just for the sake of filling the papers of a manual! You cannot play favorites to employees who violate it.
2 – Make Sure to do a Background Check on all New Employees
Character references exist for a reason. Do not ignore them. No matter how impressive someone’s skills are on paper, you need to know how they’re like. Do they have violent tendencies? Are they convicted of any felonies? Did they do anything alarming in their previous workplaces?
A good work ethic and a manageable personality can outweigh experience and skills in many ways. Someone with a well-mannered personality with a lot to learn is a lot easier to manage than a very experienced and trained hothead worker with a temper problem.
3 – Have Mandatory Drug and Alcohol Testing
Drugs and alcohol aren’t necessarily substances that make all people violent. However, these vices have the ability to impair judgment and heighten emotions—which is why they should not be consumed or used at all.
The nicest people can have the worst of days—and when intoxicated, may do things they normally wouldn’t. Make sure they don’t bring those to the workplace for the sake of everyone’s safety. Make testing for these mandatory in times you think is most appropriate.
Workplace Safety Measures
4 – Install Surveillance Cameras
Having employees know that there are cameras watching them at all times is less invasive than it seems. Surveillance cameras are there to ensure that people at the workplace follow workplace rules, such as the zero-tolerance policy. While it may seem a big deal at first, employees will eventually forget that they’re even there.
In the event that violence does occur, whether it be from a perpetrator or from one of your own employees, surveillance cameras are the most reliable witnesses. They capture everything that has occurred and makes things a lot easier for you to know who to believe.
5 – Hire Security Services
If safety is a very big issue for the company you run, then it would be a good idea to hire someone whose whole job is to ensure that workplace violence of any kind can be prevented. Guards are trained to resolve conflict, instill a sense of discipline, and protect at all times.
Conclusion
Sometimes there are things that you can’t control. Although violence can be prevented among your employees, you can never be sure of occurrences from the people outside your team. As a leader, the well-being of the people you work for is just as important as your business—so emphasizing security is a step in the right direction towards proper management.
To ensure maximum safety for you, your office, and your employees, the best way to do it is to contract a provider of security services near you. If you’re scouting for trained and expert security service in Alexandria, VA, reach out to Silbar Security! We offer security in Boston, Northern Virginia, Orlando, and Phoenix. Contact us now!
