Addressing Workplace Violence at the Right Level

Archive for the ‘Active Shooter Hostile Intruder’ Category

Addressing Workplace Violence at the Right Level

Posted on: August 30th, 2026

Addressing workplace violence requires shifting the focus from the individual employee level and incident response to systemic, organizational level accountability.  Research shows that treating violence as an isolated or expected “part of the job” fails to address causation and the root systemic failures, such as inadequate staffing, profit-driven management models, and a lack of senior management engagement and accountability. https://psnet.ahrq.gov/perspective/addressing-workplace-violence-and-creating-safer-workplace

To fix the structural disconnect and focus interdiction and intervention at the right levels, organizations and policymakers must target three specific tiers:

     1. Executive and Governance Level (Systemic Accountability)

  • Lead with Policy, Not Just Training and Technology: Executive leadership often treats violence as a training issue for front-line workers and technology as prevention. Instead, leadership must pivot toward implementing zero incident tolerance structural guidelines in support of zero-tolerance, establishing transparent compliance metrics, auditing workplace violence prevention program top-down and assessing the physical environment.
  • Remove Institutional Neglect: True mitigation prevention and mitigation measures require executive leaders to directly link management performance reviews to safety outcomes, eliminating the cultural minimization that often shields organizations from liability.
  • Fund Safer Instructure Design: Executives must allocate budgets specifically for security and safety infrastructure – such as proximity alarms, structural barriers, alert, notification and communications technology, predictive and prevention software, customized security guidelines, and increased security personnel – rather than prioritizing profit-driven management models.

    2. Operational and Managerial Level (Culture and Reporting)

  • Dismantle Barriers to Reporting: Managers must actively break down the belief that reporting is useless or that it will cause administrative retaliation.
  • Standardize What Constitutes Workplace Violence: Middle management must align teams on a single definition of what constitutes workplace violence, definition of violence that validates psychological abuse, verbal threats, bullying and harassment ensuring these acts are treated with same weight as physical assaults.
  • Execute Comprehensive Follow-up: Operational leaders must move past the immediate crisis response. They need to establish mandatory mental health resources, peer support groups, and transparent tracking to show staff exactly what organizational actions were taken against perpetrators. Such actions instill trust and confidence in management’s ability to provide for workforce safety and security.

    3. Structural and Legislative Level (Macro Protection)

  • Legislative Mandates: True change requires strict regulatory oversight.  Passing federal and state laws – such as the healthcare violence mitigation bills championed by the American Nurses Association (ANA) and California SB 553 Workplace Violence Prevention Training – forces employers to meet baseline safety-security standards or face strict penalties. https://www.medicaleconomics.com/view/why-80-of-incidents-of-workplace-violence-go-unreported
  • Acknowledge the True Economic and Societal Burden: Workplace violence costs billions annually in employee turnover, sick leave, and worker compensation not to mention exorbitant legal costs. State and national bodies must view workplace security and workforce safety as a public health priority, linking systemic funding to the implementation of verified violence prevention programs.

In conclusion, addressing workplace violence prevention concerns, senior management must build a culture of safety and listen to employees without fear of punishment. Prevention must become a top-down focus with accountability and responsibility up and down the organizations and across functional line.

 

About the Author:

 Felix P. Nater, CSC is the President and Owner of Nater Associates Ltd. a Workplace Security Management Consulting firm specializing in Workplace Violence Prevention, Violence Response and Crisis Management. Felix is a Certified Security Consultant, and former U.S. Postal Inspector and is a nationally recognized speaker, trainer, coach and co-author of ‘Combating workplace Violence: Creating and Maintaining Safe Work Environments”. He differentiates services Nater Associates Ltd. delivers through a highly specialized, practitioner-based “top-down, inside-out” approach to workplace security strategy and workplace violence prevention, shaped by decades of direct, hands-on-experiences. His consulting practice serves manufacturing, processing, production, utility companies and public housing organizations seeking credible, practical, and sustainable prevention strategies.

His preferred title is “Human Resource – Security Workplace Violence Prevention Consultant”.

His Unique Selling Proposition is – Helping organizations implement and manage workplace security with a focus on workplace violence prevention.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

 

Contact:

Info@naterassociates.com

Office: 704-784-0260

Website: www.naterassociates.com

What Do You Say When Your CEO Asks You Tough Questions About the Workplace Violence Prevention Program?

Posted on: May 11th, 2026

When your CEO asks tough questions about your Workplace Violence Prevention Program (WVPP), focus on facts, accountability, and proactive risk mitigation. CEOs care about two primary things: reducing liability and ensuring business continuity.  https://naterassociates.com/what-if-your-ceo-put-you-in-charge-of-workplace-violence-prevention/

A structured, confident response involves preparing clear answers to the most common executive questions.

  1. “Are we actually prepared if an incident occurs?

“What to say: “We have established clear response protocols in alignment with OSHA guidelines. Our staff undergoes regular training on situational awareness and de-escalation, and we hold routine safety drills, so everyone knows their immediate next steps. https://www.osha.gov/workplace-violence

“Executive takeaway: Emphasizes that you have a proactive, actionable plan in place.

  1. “How much is this going to cost / Are we legally compliant?

“What to say: “Our program is built to ensure full legal compliance with state and federal regulations. Investing in these preventative measures significantly reduces our financial and legal liability, protecting both our employees and our bottom line. https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/Workplace-Violence/FAQ.html

“Executive takeaway: Positions the program as a necessary protective investment rather than shortsighted costs.

  1. “How do you know our current safety measures are working?

“What to say: “We conduct regular risk assessments and maintain a transparent, confidential reporting system for employees to flag concerning behavior early. We also analyze this data to continuously improve our physical security and administrative controls.  https://www.offitkurman.com/offit-kurman-blogs/workplace-violence-prevention-warning-signs

“Executive takeaway: Shows that you use data and continuous monitoring to stay ahead of potential threats.

  1. “How are we preventing these issues from happening in the first place?”

What to say: “Prevention starts with our workplace culture. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy, offer employee assistance programs to support mental well-being, and train our managers to recognize early warning signs before any escalation occurs.

“Executive takeaway: Highlights the human element of your program, demonstrating that early intervention prevents disasters.  https://naterassociates.com/preventing-workplace-violence/violence-interdiction-method/

In closing:

“Executives typically consider corporate risks, whether financial, reputational, legal or commercial. The challenge faced as security and risk management professionals as a whole is to make this something perceptible to the company. It’s obvious to us how much a company and its employees gain from our activities, but senior management will not buy into our idea until they understand that this creates a competitive advantage”. ~Pedro Sa, Security Management Executive with broad expertise in Security, Intelligence and Operations Management. Founder & General Manager of H7 Advisors.  www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-sa . www.linkedin.com/in/pedro-sa

About the Author:

Felix P. Nater, CSC President and Owner of Nater Associates Ltd. a nationally recognized workplace violence prevention security management consultant is known for his extensive background as a former United States Postal Inspector and security management consultant. Nater Associates Ltd. specializes in partnering with small & midsize companies to help them implement and manage proactive workplace violence prevention strategy. His sweet spot is working with organizations that see a need and want to make a difference. https://naterassociates.com/start-workplace-violence-consulting/

His core expertise and methodology are focused on his Violence Interdiction Model that emphasizes a “reverse OSHA top-down assessment” and a Likert-based workplace violence prevention security vulnerability assessment, strategic planning and specialized training.

He is the co-author of Combating Workplace Violence: Creating and Maintaining Safe Environments is a commentator and appears regularly as a podcast guest.

Office: 704-784-0260

Email: info@naterassociates.com

Website: www.naterassociates.com

Preventing the School Shooter’s Mindset Goes Beyond Security Technology

Posted on: April 15th, 2026

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. 

Technology can slow the school or workplace shooter and stop the shooter, but what slows down or prevents the shooter’s mindset?

Another former student returns to his former school to exact his vengeance is overpowered by the school principal. (4/14/26).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkyVFCpmanY

Preventing the mindset of a school or workplace shooter involves a shift from reactive security (locks, cameras) to proactive human intervention.

Research indicates that most shooters do not “snap” they follow a predictable “pathway to violence” that includes planning and preparation, often leaving observable warning signs that peers, colleagues and family members missed before an attack. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/behavioral-threat-assessments-report

Overspending on security technology on the expectation of mitigating the threat posed by the active shooter is minimizing the wiser investment in violence prevention in the first place. Essential feature of any school violence / workplace violence prevention initiative must be the focus on preventing the transition of the disgruntled person thoughts of retaliation and revenge leading to the active shooter / hostile intruder mindset to thoughts of resolution.

By the time security technology kicks in to avert disaster. The organization already dealing with a failed violence prevention initiative, is relying on the capability of the security technology to minimize the disaster and mitigating further violence.  Active Shooter a Microcosm of Our Society Impacting Workplace Safety and Security

While technologies like AI (Artificial Intelligence) surveillance, automatic door locks, and weapon detection aim to slow or stop shooters, they do not prevent the shooter’s mindset. “Evidence shows that nearly all school shooters are either current or former students at the school”.

They are whom we refer to as the “Insider threat”. They have access to the kingdom. They are very familiar with the entry and exit points, and they are likely already inside the building before the school can act on the potential threat of violence.

So, I ask, how effective are other prevention systems already in place? An independent critical workplace violence prevention vulnerability assessment can be a good starting point in establishing a baseline. http://There’s little evidence tech is much help stopping school shootings • Rhode Island Current

For now, let’s have a practical, realistic, refreshing perspective on the value of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. You know why, because judges and juries in civil liability cases like to know what your plans look like. An active shooter plan is not a standard violence prevention plan. Security technology deployment is not a comprehensive violence prevention plan. Training is not a comprehensive violence prevention plan.   https://phys.org/news/2025-12-school-schools-focusing-safety-technology.html

Preventing the Shooter’s Mindset (Human-centered Approaches). Preventing the mindset of a school or workplace shooter involves a shift from reactive security (locks and cameras) to proactive human intervention.  Researchers indicates that most shooters do not “snap”; they follow a predictable “pathway” to violence” that includes planning and preparation, often leaving observable warning signs that peers or colleagues can identify before an attack occurs.  Therefore, the focus must be on a proactive organizational workplace violence prevention initiative.

Behavioral Threat Assessment (BTA). Instead of profiling individuals, modern prevention focuses on behavioral threat assessment, a multidisciplinary approach where teams of mental health professionals, administrators, and law enforcement evaluate concerning behaviors. Employing proactive identification of individuals displaying concerning behaviors (violent threats, fixations) before they actually act out, allowing for hasty intervention. https://navigate360.com/blog/building-behavioral-threat-assessment-team-schools/

Early Intervention: Identifying stressors like workplace grievances, academic failure, or domestic abuse allows for “off-ramps” – connecting the individual to counseling or social support systems before they mobilize to violence.
  • Problem-solving Over Punishment: Effective BTA systems focus on resolving the underlying grievance    rather than just using exclusionary discipline (suspension or termination), which can actually increase the individual’s sense of despair and isolation.  https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/ 
  • Identifying “Leakage” and Warning signs. Nearly 80% of school shooters tell someone about their plans before an attack, a phenomenon known as leakage.  Key behaviors to watch for include: https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/ 
  • Direct or Indirect Threats: Comments, innuendo, slurs, jokes, or social media posts about violent plans or detailed fantasies of violence.
  • Pathway Behaviors: Researching prior attacks, acquiring weapons, or testing security at a target.
  • Crisis Indicators: Extreme withdrawal, sudden isolation, severe performance drops, or a “last resort” mindset where the individual feels they have no other options. https://eschoolsafety.org/violence

Fostering a Connected Culture. The “angry loner” is largely a myth; most shooters have significant social interactions, but they often feel invisible or deeply aggrieved. It becomes a credibility problem when teachers and staff lack needed trust and confidence during the reporting phase.  https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/

  • Breaking the “code of Silence”: A safe climate where student and employees feel they can report concerns without fear of retaliation is critical.  This is often facilitated by anonymous reporting systems like Sandy Hook Promise.
  • Trusted Adult & Mentors:  Students are more likely to report a peer’s plan if they have a strong relationship with a least one “trusted adult” on campus.
  •  Social Connections: Simple efforts to reduce isolation – such as workplace inclusion programs or school “care teams” can disrupt the development of the shooter’s mindset. https://www.schoolsafety.gov/
  • Access to Counselors and Psychologists: Addressing grievance, mental health crises, and underlying causes of violence, rather than relying solely on security technology.

Psychological Drivers. Understanding the common psychological trajectory helps inform prevention. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/school-shooters-troubled-teens-or-cold-blooded-killers

  • The Suicidal Connection: A vast majority of K-12 shooters (92-100%) are suicidal before or during attack. Programs that prioritize suicide prevention and mental health care are directly linked to preventing mass violence.
  • The “Pseudo-Commando” Mentality: Many shooters are driven by a desire for notoriety, or a “warrior” identity to overcome personal self-loathing. Denying them this notoriety – by focusing on victims in the media and community discussions – reduces the incentive for some potential attackers.  https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/mass-shootings

Resources for Early Reporting:

 

About the Author:

Felix P. Nater, CSC President and Owner of Nater Associates Ltd. a nationally recognized workplace violence prevention security management consultant is known for his extensive background as a former United States Postal Inspector and security management consultant. Nater Associates Ltd. specializes in partnering with small & midsize companies to help them implement and manage proactive workplace violence prevention strategy. His sweet spot is working with organizations that see a need and want to make a difference.

His core expertise and methodology are focused on his Violence Interdiction Model that emphasizes a “reverse OSHA top-down assessment” and a Likert-based workplace violence prevention security vulnerability assessment, strategic planning and specialized training.

He is the co-author of Combating Workplace Violence: Creating and Maintaining Safe Environments is a commentator and appears regularly as a podcast guest.

Office: 704-784-0260

Email: info@naterassociates.com

Website: www.naterassociates.com

 

Employee Involvement – Effective Workplace Violence Prevention Strategy

Posted on: March 10th, 2026

From a workplace violence prevention perspective, employee involvement is about building a better employee experience in their own workplace safety and security through education that focuses on situational awareness, accountability, responsibility and understanding consequences.

Employee Involvement in workplace violence prevention is crucial for accurately identifying hazards, enhancing the importance of reporting at-risk situations and individuals, fostering a culture of safety through new employee orientation, comprehensive employee training, and ensuring program sustainability.  By engaging employees, organizations gain first-hand insight, improved incident reporting rates, and boost morale, resulting in a more effective, proactive security strategy that reduces the potential of threats, threatening at-risk situations and, eventual incidents.

Key benefits of employee involvement in this strategy include:

  • New Employee orientation – Setting the Safety/Security Foundation: 

Onboarding is the first opportunity to define a “zero-tolerance” and “zero-incident culture” and empower employees to be active participants in their own workplace safety and security.   https://www.mikecorwin.com/blog/effective-workplace-violence-prevention-mindset#:~:text=Employees%20who%20feel%20that%20their,purpose%20with%20your%20end%20goals.

  • Clear Policy Communication: Distribute a comprehensive Workplace Violence Prevention Plan that defines prohibited behaviors (e.g., verbal threats, physical aggression, harassment, and at-risk situations and/or conditions), and clear consequences for violations of the policy.
  • Improved hazard Identification: Employees often have the best knowledge of day-to-day, high-risk situations, allowing them to pinpoint potential dangers in physical security or daily procedures that managers might miss including environment triggers that contribute to conflict and altercations.
  • Proactive Reporting Culture: Active involvement encourages employees to report early warning signs of potential violence or at-risk-situations (e.g., behavioral changes, threats, concerning behavior) rather than ignoring them.
  • Program Ownership and Sustenance: Involving staff in the design and implementation of safety policies and plans increases their understanding, adoption, and long-term support for the program.
  • Enhanced Risk Assessment and Investigations: Workers provide critical insights during risk assessments and investigations, helping to refine policies, plans and program to prevent future incidents and reduce the potential of Unannounced OSHA Inspections that are often surprises to most organizations.
  • Quality Comprehensive Training: Deliver training that addresses the workplace violence prevention policy and plans but include highlights of other security and emergency management plans impacting workplace violence prevention.  In addition to policy training should address mandatory sessions on what constitutes workplace violence, impact to people and the workplace, and consequences of failing to report, early warning signs and reporting as well as deescalation and risk mitigation techniques and emergency response protocols (e.g., basic active assailant tactics, evacuation, lockdown, shelter-in-place, and safe harbor room procedures).
  • Improved Morale and Trust: A collaborative approach fosters trust, builds confidence, and reduces feelings of isolation or hostility, reassuring employees that their employer is committed and invests in their safety, creating a more positive and secure work environment for all.  https://compliancetraininggroup.com/2023/07/07/the-crucial-role-of-workplace-violence-prevention-training/
  • Compliance with Legal Standards: Employee Involvement in local laws and regulations such as those in California (California law requires most employers to implement a workplace violence prevention plan under SB 553), require active employee participation in the process and maintaining violence prevention and workplace security plans.

By engaging workers in identifying, evaluating, and correcting known hazards, employers move from a reactive to a prevention safety stance.

Author:

Felix P. Nater, CSC is the President and Owner of Nater Associates Ltd., a Workplace Security Management Consulting firm specializing in Workplace Violence Prevention. He differentiates himself through a highly specialized, practitioner‑based “inside‑out” approach to security management, shaped by decades of direct, hands‑on experience. His consulting practice serves manufacturing, processing, production, utility companies, and public housing organizations seeking credible, practical, and sustainable prevention strategies.

A Certified Security Consultant and former U.S. Postal Inspector, Felix is a nationally recognized speaker, trainer, and coach. He stands apart from competitors by applying real-world investigative and security management experience to help organizations solve complex workplace violence and related security challenges. His work focuses on helping company leadership develop and manage proactive workplace violence prevention and human‑resources‑aligned security strategies that strengthen organizational readiness, reduce risk, and build workforce trust.

Contact: info@naterassociates.com

Website: www.naterassociates.com

Psychological Safety: Workplace Violence’s Worst Enemy

Posted on: August 17th, 2025

Introduction: To some workplace violence is often taken for granted as the proverbial disgruntled employee who decides to come into the workplace vigorously towards a co-worker or supervisor over some unknown reason. Therein lies the importance of the effectiveness of a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program supported by quality training that educates and informs. Employee perceptions, experiences and expectations are at the start of individual conflict and when left unabated escalate beyond control.

 

Felix: In this Blog, Guest Blogger Jesse Pudles of Spot Corp Events and I take on the reality and the fuel of how miscommunications lead to misunderstandings leading to verbal exchanges and emotional conflict. And, when left alone festers and alienates the parties involved polluting the work environment along divisive lines. From my experience as a workplace security advisor, this is a leadership problem complicated by poor communications skills. My recommendations have always been to view violence prevention as a proactive strategy requiring multiple intervention tactics and strategies.

 

Felix: Jesse Pudles my Guest Blogger, Founder & CEO of Spot Corp Events, offers unique intervention strategies that go to the heart of preventing conflict through effective communication techniques and tactics supervisors can employ and employees can learn in managing personal behavior, minimizing conflict, preventing escalation, and reducing tensions at work.

 

Felix: Jesse as we talk about appropriate intervention strategies, I thought I would ask you to process this true event through your psychological safety principle. How would it have prepared this supervisor to have been in a better position to not only anticipate a problem but managing the situation before losing control? What do you see happening here and how could it have been managed differently? Now, I will tell you that your invitation to be a Guest Blogger is seen as a valid and plausible training solution I consider as a valued intervention strategy. So, I am looking forward to reading how you would engage with the supervisor and managers in a training session to manage these types of issues proactively and when confronted.

 

The Scenario: One Friday afternoon, Manager Jane approaches Supervisor John to discuss the previous discussion around reorganization of the unit’s work environment that Manager Jane emphasized was already beyond her date of completion. Not having all employees present to discuss the urgency of his manager’s requirement, he comes in over the weekend with a few unit volunteer employees to begin the necessary changes his manager expects completed immediately.

 

Unfortunately, there is one employee on vacation who was not available on Friday nor familiar with the required physical realignment of the unit’s workspace that would affect him the most. Upon arrival at work on Monday his observations caught him by surprise since things are not the way he left them as emotions ran high. This was a concerning leadership decision because the absent employee, though known as a reliable and dependable, was also known as a “hot head”.

 

Instead of the supervisor waiting until Monday to discuss the requirement with the unit employees, the well-intended supervisor overreacted by not waiting until Monday. On the other hand, the vacationing employee who emotionalized the moment instead of calmly addressing his concerns, erupts into a verbal tirade creating a hostile environment.  What seemed like an extremely easy situation to avoid in the first place escalates now into the adjudication of the explosive employee’s outburst as a violation of the workplace violence zero tolerance policy.

 

Jesse: Thank you so much for the scenario and these insightful questions and the challenge of being a part of your workplace violence prevention consultations, Felix. When looking at workplace violence prevention solutions, many are only looking at de-escalation solutions after the violence has started or conflict has begun instead of looking ar proactive intervention tactics and strategies. However, by focusing on psychological safety—which includes creating an environment where people are comfortable speaking up, sharing gaps in understanding and building enough trust that people feel comfortable taking risks, and making mistakes—workplace violence can not only be de-escalated, it can be stopped in its tracks altogether. With that understanding, this is how I would manage the scenario presented:

The first step when looking at any preventable issue is to explore the challenges that a leader exhibiting this kind of behavior might be facing. This starts with a conversation, in this case with the supervisor.

Based on the information you provided, my expectation is that the supervisor might feel like the team jumps to conclusions, that they do not listen to him, and that he may be unable to get his team to follow his leadership or direction. The key when it comes to leadership and psychological safety is listening between the lines. What is he saying?

What I am hearing is a communication breakdown. Something in the way the supervisor is communicating with the team is not coming through as intended. It is not clicking. I might ask further questions like:

“When you make a decision for the team, how do you usually go about it?”

“What kind of decisions do you make on your own?”

“What kind of decisions do you ask for the team’s opinion or have a conversation with the team first?”

Just based on this, I usually have enough information to start designing a session. From there, I identify the biggest challenges we can address immediately.

Based on what I am seeing in this scenario, the top three issues are:

Empathy – If the supervisor feels unheard, it is mutual. He does not feel listened to, which usually means his team does not feel like their perspectives, wants and needs are being heard either.

Support – Are people feeling valued? When people lash out or shut down, it is often because they do not feel supported by their coworkers or leadership. We need to explore and enhance that support.

Decision-Making – Are decisions being made democratically? A decision-making style that incorporates everyone’s voice can transform a team’s dynamics.

Now we have our blueprint. This is where things get interesting, and bear with me because we are about to go somewhere a bit unexpected.

All my team building and employee engagement work uses theater and storytelling as catalysts to shift thinking in a playful yet digestible way. This environment removes the usual resistance that always comes up when learning something new, especially when it is about us. As we laugh and share together, walls come down. The open sharing that results from our exercises gives customized insights into the challenges a specific team is confronting, providing solutions that will lead them to success, and it does all of this while bonding them closer together.

Additionally, for anyone still resistant to this unique type of intervention, we pair all our activities with research. As you begin to understand the purpose behind it, your resistance will also dissipate. We have seen this repeatedly.

The final reason for my approach is something called embodied cognition, a theory that shows we do not just learn with our brains but with our entire bodies. When learning is connected to movement, emotion, and experience, it activates multiple cognitive systems and becomes not just intellectually understood, but felt, which makes it more likely to be remembered.

Now that we understand the why behind this approach, and we understand the breakdown of this team, we are ready to build a session that not only prevents workplace violence, but builds towards improved retention, productivity, and morale for the whole team and eventually the whole company!

Felix: In conclusion, thank you, Jesse, for offering the value of psychological safety training as an example of multiple intervention strategies. Leaders should look for opportunities to hastily engage with situations in looking for swift solutions rather than doing things as usual. I think your psychological training exercises hit the proverbial prevention nail on the head for me. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

About Felix P. Nater, CSC:

Felix is a certified security consultant (CSC) as awarded by the International Association of Professional Security Consultant IAPSC) and President & Chief Security Consultant at Nater Associate Ltd. He helps organizations implement and manage workplace security strategy with a focus on workplace violence prevention and the hostile intruder threat. He is a former federal law enforcement officer having worked as a United States Postal Inspector on a Workplace Violence Prevention Team and Major Crimes Team. He is a retired Army Reserve Sergeant Major having assignments from company first sergeant to command sergeant major at a major army reserve command.

What About Workplace Violence Prevention Policy Development, Can It Be Effective?

Posted on: June 13th, 2025

Before setting out to write the workplace violence prevention policy, we must understand what constitutes workplace violence and what we are trying to prevent. You should have an understanding about what you think would be necessary to consider in developing a violence prevention policy.

Workplace violence is a global public health problem that has already caused a serious threat to both the physical and mental health of everyone in organizations (Duan et al., 2019). Thus, preventing violence in the workplace is critically important, as suggested by the numerous books, articles, workshops, and seminars that have been available on the subject (Van Fleet & Van Fleet, 2022, 93-95).

However, all that advice has come from psychologists, physicians, and such.  What has been lacking is advice from those who know and understand management and organizations — advice that would not only reduce the threat of workplace violence but advice that, if followed, would also enable organizations to develop potential competitive advantages in terms of their personnel and productivity.  Look within your organization for such expertise, and if it is not available consider the value of retaining such services.

We must also consider the reality that prevention is not 100% preventable.  In a perfect world, organizations would identify individuals who would potentially commit workplace violence during the hiring phase and never hire them. Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world and people change overtime anyway. However, organizations can inform and educate everyone, particularly those in management positions, to know when someone may be on the brink of committing a violent act.

In addition, when preparing to write operate under the premise that OHSA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) captures workplace violence under Four Types/Categories (#1 criminal intent; #2 client to worker; #3 worker to worker; and #4 domestic (personal relations) under Four OSHA Categories: General Industry, Construction, Maritime and Agriculture.

A workplace violence prevention policy and accompanying plans with procedures should demonstrate the organization’s commitment toward ensuring the safety of members of the organization as well as customers, clients, and suppliers. Both management commitment and employee involvement are necessary for the development and maintenance of an effective policy/plan. The continued success and appropriateness of intervention strategies outlined in the policy can be monitored and adjusted with data collected at least annually.

Without a demonstrated commitment of management at all levels, others will not follow; and if management does not lead and others do not follow, then company policies will not succeed, no matter how well composed the lines are and how expensive the paper on which they are printed—they will remain “lost in space” when violence comes knocking.

Workplace Violence Prevention should not be an independent initiative but an organizational investment in creating and maintaining safe work environments with senior management leading the initiative through employee engagement.

About the Author:

Felix P. Nater, CSC is a certified security management consultant helping small & mid-size manufacturing, process, production, and utility firms implement and manage workplace security strategy with a focus on workplace violence prevention, and violence response (hostile workplace intruder). Felix is a retired U.S. Postal Inspector who previously worked on a U. S. Postal Inspection Service Workplace Violence Prevention Team and Major Crimes Unit. During his time on the workplace violence prevention team, Felix worked with local postmasters, postal service managers and senior executives to promote a culture of workplace violence prevention delivering training as needed and responding to a variety of incidents rendering risk abatement and risk management recommendations, and testifying at various city, county, state and federal criminal and civil hearings. Over the past 23 years as president and owner of Nater Associates Ltd, Felix has worked with small, medium, and large businesses and government agencies. He applies his Nater Associates Violence Interdiction Methodology as a part of his consulting process LI3CE (Leadership, Integration, Collaborating, Coordinating, Communication and Execution) in maximizing business and organizational independent capability to initiate and manage their programs. Felix is the author of Combating Workplace Violence: Creating and Maintaining Safe Environments with David and Ella Van Fleet, is a nationally recognized speaker and consultant, advisor and coach. He appears on a variety of podcasts as well as local and national news networks. Felix is retired from the U.S. Army Reserves where he previously served as the command sergeant major of a major U. S. Army Reserve Command.

 

Workplace Violence Prevention: A leadership Responsibility

Posted on: May 7th, 2025

From My Blog: Workplace Violence Prevention can enjoy success when the effort is not perceived as an independent initiative left to subordinate leaders to administer and develop training objectives. Its success emanates from a senior management organizational commitment and investment wherein the C-Suite having understanding can support and influence decisions around creating & maintaining safe work environments.

 

Senior management leadership supporting workplace violence prevention as a program with employee involvement sets the example of commitment from the top down. For example, companies that engage their leaders to anticipate and address workplace violence through a proactive workplace culture of prevention gives evidence of alignment with the OSHA’s principle of workplace violence prevention. When OSHA conducts enforcement inspections and juries hear civil liability allegations of negligence having and organizational commitment and investment can reflect favorably as honorable intentions.

 

Leadership involvement is about “Creating a Culture of Safety and Security through strategy, process, and plans, accountability, responsibility, and recognition of consequences impacting people safety through worksite specific assessments and their commitment.  Prevention strategy that focuses on swift resolution through five collaborative stages: (1) causation, (2) intervention, (3) risk management, (4) risk mitigation and (5) training give the initiative credibility.  Training that is leader led reinforces the organizational commitment and appears in alignment with OSHA regulations and workplace violence prevention standards sends a positive message.

 

Violence prevention effectiveness grows from within organizations by leaders who recognize their responsibilities, enforce standards, set positive examples and positive leadership. It is not mandated, it is exemplified through policies, plans, and outcomes by engaged leadership. It is the workforce seeing the organization “walk the walk and talk the talk.” People caring about people and leaders who take time to know their people, taking their safety and security seriously.

 

Because workplace violence is a human reaction to perception of grievance, frustration, and hopelessness, retaliation becomes the response. Retaliation though mostly associated with the armed intruder is a frequent behavior manifested in various deviant forms of behavior. Leaders who enjoy the proper mindset take a proactive approach.

 

Leaders can benefit by understanding that security technology alone cannot prevent the active shooter from exacting their vengeance but can give employees critical time to apply risk mitigation immediate protective measures. Leaders that know their employees might be in a better position to recognize the disgruntled employee early on take swift intervention/interdiction steps to avert escalation. Several Client supervisors recently shared that their greatest reward comes when employees take them into their confidence about different experiences and situations in their personal lives.

 

Compassionate leaders typically take into consideration such factors in recognizing negative workplace practices. When trained to recognize the warning signs and contributing factors leaders begin to understand that the disgruntled employee transitions to mental thoughts of rationalization and justification to active shooter thoughts when left alone with their thoughts of justification and rationalization.

 

When training is practical, reflective of the employee’s work and work environment, earning employee trust and credibility is less difficult. It supports the workplace violence prevention policy and other workplace security plans and measures. Leaders that attend scheduled workplace violence prevention training and add to the training objective content show their employees that they care. They understand their roles must be the center of influence in supporting the company’s culture of safety and security.

 

The new employee workplace violence prevention orientation sets standards and expectations. Avoid the perception of fluff, educate and inform the employee on duties and responsibilities of reporting. In short be clear of mutual expectations. Leaders must protect against training being perceived as routine. Leader training must address contributing factors of workplace violence, cause and effect, responsibilities, impact and consequences, prevention and managing risks as well as active shooter organizational responsibilities.

 

Processes not a frequent inclusion in workplace violence prevention leadership training must be the gateway and the roadmap to prevent violence response. Process is a vital part of an organizational commitment that shows people how to maximize their collaborative value. Prevention tied to the active shooter phases in addressing transitional concerns from disgruntled to active shooter provides the leaders and workforce specific examples of how intervention can take place through coordination of effort and resources.

 

Leaders that know that Workplace Violence Prevention starts and cycles through processes gives prevention authority. It should not just be a document but an ongoing process involving multiple interventions. Once a leader becomes aware of a potential security risk immediate action must be authorized and allowed to be taken.

 

In conclusion – Leaders must Avoid assumptions. Avoid the inconvenience of taking action. Avoid the decision to take the easy road by being expedient rather than thoughtful and professional.

About the Author:

Felix Nater, former United States Postal Inspector is a Certified Security Consultant as awarded by the IAPSC (International Association of Professional Security Consultants) specializes in workplace violence prevention. He is the president and owner of Nater Associates Ltd a security management consultant specializing in helping CEOs in of midsize and small manufacturing, processing, production, and utility organizations implement and manage workplace security strategy with a focus on workplace violence prevention. He explains how to improve their current posture, develop their intent or go in a different direction. In the end, Felix works with organizations to help them achieve desired results and supports them along the way. Interested? Call: 704-784-0260. Visit www.naterassociates.com

A Paradigm Shift in Thinking and Philosophy of Workplace Violence Prevention is Needed…

Posted on: July 8th, 2024

Preventing the next Workplace tragedy requires a paradigm shift or a change in thinking how Workplace Violence Prevention is viewed by senior management, HR & Security. It is not caused because of mental health, it is caused by contributing factors left unabated, perceptions and lack luster leadership can provoke by its reluctance to intervene swiftly.

 

Organizations can benefit by organizing a prevention initiative around a process – leadership involvement, integrated, collaborated policy, plans and procedures, coordinated resources and effort and communicated & well executed prevention strategies organization wide. Process and strategy are essential (LIC3E)

 

Some think Active Shooter training is prevention. I do not! I see the active shooter incident as a failed prevention commitment. Preventing another tragedy requires an understanding of prevention as it relates to the organization and its culture.

 

Once an employee is allowed to transition to thoughts of rationalization and justification of retaliation the rationale projects the actions. In short, the Active Shooter is a failed prevention program or the lack of one.

 

California Workplace Violence Prevention law 553 is a huge step in the right direction. It aligns hand in glove with the Workplace Violence Prevention philosophy & Factors I have shared over the past 22 years.

 

My Consulting Strategy is LIC3E (Leadership, Integration, Collaboration, Coordination, Communication and Execution) and the Factors are ARC (Accountability, Responsibility and Consequences), ACE (Assumption, Convenience & Expedience) and PREP (Proactive, Responsive, Engagement & Practical thinking tied to violence prevention and violence response policy, plans and procedures.

 

Training alone is not the answer but it can make a huge difference when it is experience-centered and knowledge-based. Quality training in alignment with supporting plans, protocols and procedures is. It effectively institutionalizes the effort through management commitment and investment and employee involvement. https://bit.ly/3MKKN4a

 

#CEO #Compliance #Legal #HR#workplace #SHRM #HumanResources  #RiskManagement #workplaceviolenceprevention #activeshooter #Security #Safety #EHS #PHADA  #ATAP #SmallBusinesses

 

About the Author:

Felix P. Nater is a Certified Security Consultant (CSC) as awarded by the International Association of Professional Security Consultants (IASPSC).  He is a nationally recognized workplace violence prevention specialist and has co-authored his first book: Combating Workplace Violence: Creating and Maintaining Safe Work Environments.  Felix enjoys helping organizations identify contributing factors that lead to violence before it escalates. He knows that achieving a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program takes supportive strategies, process, policy, plans and procedures and effective training that goes beyond the standard list of statistics, other people’s quotes, other organization’s practices in designing worksite and workforce specific training. Communication through quality training is essential in developing leaders who understand the philosophy and employees who are part of the solution. Felix knows that workplace violence prevention is an ongoing process involving multiple intervention strategies. https://naterassociates.com/testimonials/

10 Workplace Violence Prevention TIPs to Manage, Prevent, and Improve the Workplace Safety and Security Culture

Posted on: May 20th, 2024

Creating a Workplace Culture of Safety and Security grows from within by leaders who set the example. It is not mandated. It is exemplified. It reflects people seeing the organization as “walking the walk and talking the talk.” People care about people. This is when organizational leaders through supervisors and others, lead by example by showing, correcting, and educating before there’s the surprise attack. Now is a better time than ever to review your capability to combat the threat of workplace violence every day. Workplace Violence Prevention is an ongoing process involving multiple intervention strategies. The active shooter is a failed workplace violence prevention program.

 

  1. Provide some level of assessment and evaluation of employee-reported incidents of violence to determine the need to conduct an official investigation. Ineffective responses to employee concerns and complaints erode trust, and confidence and disrupt workplace performance efficiencies. Such practices can lead to employees taking the “law” into their own hands. By that I mean if nothing is done about it, they will do what is necessary to protect themselves.

 

  1. Establish a “Reporting Policy” and provide avenues and opportunities for employees to report safety and security concerns, observations, and victimization. Having a clearly defined, credible reporting, tracking, and monitoring system provides reassurances that their reports and complaints are taken seriously. In other words, not fallen on deaf ears. Organizations can reduce incidents and avoid civil liability allegations in cases of serious injuries or fatalities by engaging in proactive measures that promote accountability and responsibility.

 

  1. Holding supervisors and managers responsible and accountable for responding, managing, and processing initial employee complaints can have an influence. There should not be any discretion at this level to promote an organizational commitment to workforce safety, security, and risk management.

 

  1. Employers must lead from the front. They must ever be mindful that victims are reluctant to step forward if there is credibility in reporting concerns. Essential witnesses withhold their observations out of fear of retaliation. Such instances can become problematic. As problem employees they are identified as troublemakers and problem children, a term commonly used in schools. Students are commonly referred to as “problem children” becoming victims of student bullies and other forms of harassment. At work, however, adult workers are denied vacation choices, requested days off are also denied. Sudden changes in assignments including change of assigned area. Bullying of this nature is always a tool of the “rogue” supervisor-manager who feels the negative attention.

 

  1. Prejudging and undermining employee reports place them at risk by failing to address the information promptly and thoroughly, contributing to perceptions of disparate treatment. Unfair prejudgment of employee disputes and situations results in long-term discord between coworkers and management.

 

  1. Be sensitive to employee working conditions and the impact of established policies, plans, or procedures on employee perceptions of unfairness especially when the employee feels victimized. Learn to recognize and be alert to early warning signs of potential problems because of personnel changes, reorganizations, impending business decisions, mergers, and acquisitions.

 

  1. Make employee encounters with management a dignified process, especially during the disciplinary and termination experiences. Giving employees the benefit of the doubt by treating them with dignity and respect diminishes stress. Know the impact of heavy-handedness. Giving detailed explanations and allowing room for feedback reduces anxiety and tension.

 

  1. Consider the value of forming a workplace violence prevention team or the more formalized threat assessment team to serve as the company incident management teams in monitoring and tracking reports that de-escalate future problems. Create a team that is representative of key members of the organizational leadership team with authority to act.

 

  1. Don’t be afraid to dig for root causes, conducting a root cause analysis or critical vulnerability assessment can yield interesting discoveries before arriving at culpability. The Zero Tolerance Policy should not be used as a “Termination” Weapon. Being ever mindful that acts of workplace violence tend to be emotional and reactionary to events to grievances and perceptions of unfairness. Keep clarity on reality. Stay focused on potential “Triggers” and avoid assumptions.

 

  1. Bring the HR & Security department together as a human resource – security collaborative team in a way of sharing information that hastily mitigates risk and makes exigent decisions. There is no excuse for the disgruntled employee to transition into volatile thoughts of homicidal retaliation. This concept can be a value-added benefit during the initial assessment and evaluation phase of employee reports and complaints. If the police are called, be prepared to manage the support they provide. Avoid turning over the human resource-security matter to local police who might not offer the best advice in every situation. While coordination is recommended, having an Emergency Action Plan for these situations ensures an efficient hand-on in hostile emergency matters until the police are on location.

 

About Felix Nater, CSC President & Chief Security Consultant at Nater Associates Ltd. is a Certified Security Consultant, and trained Workplace Violence Prevention Consultant, Advisor and Coach to manufacturing, processing, production, and utility employers who helps them identify issues that lead to workplace violence. He helps organizations assess and evaluate their workplace violence prevention -security posture, implement and manage workplace security strategy with an emphasis on workplace violence prevention. He has been involved in this work for over 30 years as a Workplace Violence Prevention Specialist, starting out as a U.S. Postal Inspector having diversified expertise in criminal, security, administrative, training and program management experiences. He is the main author of the book with David Van Fleet & Ella Van Fleet entitled: Combating Workplace Violence: Creating & Maintaining Safe Work Environments. bit.ly/3odv3NA

Office: 7040784-0260

Workplace Violence is More Than Gun Violence

Posted on: February 8th, 2024

Whether you are a supervisor, production manager, operations manager, HR manager, facility manager, safety manager, security manager or CEO your understanding of what constitutes workplace violence is crucial. The lack of understanding can contribute to a misplaced focus.

 

Are you thinking that workplace violence is about the employee who threatens or conducts gun violence? What about the employee who is the victim of harassment, verbal abuse, bullying, dictatorial supervision or some other aggressive behavior that intimidates an employee? What about the employee who is the victim of shoving, pushing, kicking and jostling?  Equally important are you of the opinion that workplace violence cannot be prevented?

 

The understandable focus on gun violence by management seems to overshadow employee concerns and expectations associated with every day psychological value. The 2023 Work in America Survey sheds light on the critical role workplaces play in psychological health and well-being.  https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/work-in-america/2023-workplace-health-well-being

 

OSHA Federal reports an average of 2 million reported incidents a year involving fights, threats, harassment, name calling, verbal abuse and sabotage. Should the data be an indicator of concern?  What about your workplace violence prevention training and reporting? Are they credible?  Perception is often reality. Would you feel comfortable representing your role during an OSHA Inspection or as a witness in a civil liability lawsuit?  You may be surprised to discover that a company or employee that does the right thing without the right policy in place can become liable in lawsuits filed by other employees or even the perpetrator.

 

“It doesn’t matter whether you are a small, medium or large business or organization you should have a WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY AND PLAN supported by quality training”.  The training must address what employees must do, why and how.  Every Organization Needs to Address Workplace Violence so that employees can describe it and report it.

 

The plan at a minimum must explain the prohibited behaviors, reporting, accountabilities, responsibilities, consequences, protocols, and procedures.  Small and midsize businesses must not dismiss the importance of having their plans thinking they are immune from workplace violence or not subject to an Unannounced OSHA Inspection. The risks are higher when it comes to recovery and business continuity from a workplace shooting incident, but other forms of workplace violence are toxic to productivity and teamwork.

 

HR Managers, facility and safety professionals at every workplace should develop a policy on violence prevention that includes:

 

  • Employee training and creating an emergency action plan.
  • Conducting simulation training exercises.
  • Engaging in interactive discussions.
  • Adopting and enforcing a zero-tolerance policy toward workplace violence
  • Deploying safety technologies in reducing workplace violence.

https://www.nsc.org/work-safety/safety-topics/workplace-violence

 

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION should be comprehensive organizational initiative but not complicated based on the type of organization.  Here are 10 practical workplace violence prevention tips that will energize your workplace prevention efforts.

 

  1. Review and update the Workplace Violence Prevention and Harassment Polices annually.
  2. Train supervisors in their role to evaluate, assess and document employee reports.
  3. Review the incidents in a timely manner to identify patterns, repeat offenders and gaps in the policy.
  4. Train employees in workplace violence prevention.
  5. Inform employees that hasty reporting activates the organization’s workplace violence prevention protocols and procedures more efficiently.
  6. Review visitor management and access control policy and procedures for vulnerabilities.
  7. Review the domestic violence/intimate partner policy to ensure employees are familiar with the policy,  services & resources available.
  8. Train supervisors & managers on the leader’s role in maintaining safe workplaces.
  9. Test your emergency evacuation plan and hostile intruder/active shooter threat procedures.
  10. Conduct on site work-site specific assessments of employee work settings and operations.

 

Remember, Compliance is a good thing, but it is not prevention. Crisis Management is not prevention. Threat Assessment supports prevention. Think of Workplace Violence Prevention as your workplace security insurance blanket.

 

The workplace violence prevention mission can be a shared responsibility. Create a robust, agile, and proactive (RAP) process in managing aggression and at-risk situations. Integration and collaboration of limited resources can maximize effort.

 

About: Felix Nater, CSC Security Management Consultant helping organizations avoid mistakes that lead to workplace violence by implementing and managing workplace security strategy with a focus on workplace violence prevention. Felix is a recent published co-author of Combating Workplace Violence: Creating and Maintaining Safe Work Environments http://bit.ly/3odv3NA  His website is https://naterassociates.com