Employee Involvement – Effective Workplace Violence Prevention Strategy

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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

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

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

 

Workplace Violence Prevention and Violence Response Planning Considerations

Posted on: March 21st, 2023

Is your workplace violence response plan to an active assailant something of concern to you?  You no longer read or hear frequent news reports about the “Going Postal” threat anymore. The Postal Service recognized it needed to take preventive measures.

Why?

Could it be that initiative-taking measures were taken and continued today to manage the threat? What is your organization’s mindset relative to the active assailant threat? Is the active assailant taken for granted as someone not employed at your workplace or school and incapable of such violence? Is your school relying on technology and the presence of school resource officers to be your school’s first line of prevention measures? Today as more incidents of disgruntled persons hit the news waves are you questioning or doubting your readiness? If you are, that is a commendable reaction. The next question is – what will you do about it?

 

Has Covid-19 confused the thinking in how to classify the workplace security threat because of remote work or work from home scenarios? Perhaps you can keep the continuity in perspective by adding workforce protection and modifying policy, plans and procedures? We don’t need to get too complicated but, we have to be realistic and practical.

 

It seems that every time you turn the news on there’s a report of a workplace shooting, mall shooting, parking lot shooting or school or college shooting all that seem to strike a sense of fear. But workplaces need not fear when there’s an investment in worker safety and security based on a management commitment that shares both a legal and moral sense of duty and responsibility. A prepared workplace can withstand the public outcry and legal scrutiny better than one that relies on Myths or Concerns out of fear of arousing employee concerns.

 

Workplaces and Employees don’t have to wait for the day when they hear gun shots or screams of a knife or machete wielding person running amok in their workplaces to begin taking robust, agile and proactive™ prevention and violence response measures.

 

Prepare NOW for the WHEN and not for the IF IT HAPPENS worst case scenario through proactive, responsive, engaging practical (PREP violence prevention and violence response policy, plans and procedures. When we hear about incidents of workplace violence, it often seems like something that never could happen in our workplaces, until it does.  Will we be prepared?  Just because it has not happened at your workplace does not mean you should expose your workforce to unnecessary risk or your workplace unnecessary liability.

 

When speaking of the workplace, we refer to every work environment your workforce might be performing their assigned duties.  So that means, considering the risks your workforce might be exposed to as a field inspector, sales personnel, repair and utility personnel, medical services providers, social workers, truck drivers, taxi services and security personnel. Workplace violence prevention means addressing the potential risks the workforce might be exposed to wherever they might be.

 

When you go to the doctor for your annual physical examination you trust that your doctor knows what he’s doing and asks you the right questions. You do not challenge or question her diagnosis and recommendations though you should.  So when was the last time you had a workplace physical (security) examination; a security assessment to assess and evaluate your workplace violence prevention, violence response measures and security posture?  As a trusted advisor, your concerns are my priorities. As one healthcare facility manager Client once said, “Felix, thank you for pointing us in the right direction. Your recommendations following your assessment have taken us in a direction we needed to go”.

 

If you say you have never had a security assessment, you might have an existing vulnerability or security gap that a disgruntled person might exploit. You might be investing in a thoughtful strategy that could be redirected to achieve greater benefit.  Do not let fear direct your ways.  Just know that as an organization there are protective measures you can plan for that include plans and procedures in immediate protective measures and safe harbor rooms. If you have not had the physical security examination you probably don’t know that you can’t alert your employees, communicate with your employees or know anything about the police response and police encounter.

 

Preparation is key. That’s why I have coined a key word called: PREP (Prepared, Responsive, Engaged and Practical) as the foundation of a credible workplace violence prevention  and violence response plan.

 

Here are 5 Things I recommend you should do TODAY.  If you want to increase your workplace security posture against a threat of routine incidents of workplace violence or homicidal violence, do the following immediately:

 

  1. Dispel the myths. Do not say it will never happen here. Do not say we do not have a problem with workplace violence. Remember, it is the problem that you do not know about that can escalate right under your eyes.
  2. Conduct a Workplace Violence Prevention Critical Vulnerability Assessment ™ of your Workplace Violence Prevention posture. (Includes review of the policy, plans, procedures, and protocols)
  3. Conduct a Violence Response Assessment/Audit. (Includes review of the physical security layout to identify gaps in the security posture, alert, notification and communication system, potential safe harbor rooms and evacuation routes.)
  4. Roll out Violence Response and Safe Harbor Room Procedures and Guidelines. (Includes immediate protective measures, identification of safe harbor room, organizational responsibilities, safe harbor room configuration, alert, notification and communications instructions, role of security forces, police response and police encounter.)
  5. Train the entire workforce on the Violence Response and Safe Harbor Room Procedures and Guidelines. This type of training should be facilitator led. If logistic concerns challenges facilitator led training, every effort must be made to have a subject matter expertise can answer employee questions and address their concerns.

 

But please do not worry because if you have gotten down this far in the post you definitely care and are concerned.  You have been proactive and were seeking to know what more you could do. Well, because you have been proactive your Workplace Violence Prevention Critical Vulnerability Assessment ™ should have identified vulnerability gaps and identified ways to improve your overall workplace violence prevention and security awareness posture, even your business continuity and continuation of operations plans.

 

About the Author: Felix P. Nater, CSC the President/Owner Nater Associates, Ltd. a security management consulting practice coaching and consulting organizations on workplace security strategy with a focus on workplace violence prevention is a Certified Security Consultant (CSC) as awarded by the International Association of Professional Security Consultants (IAPSC).  Nater Associates, Ltd. celebrated 20 years as a security management consultant. He prides himself on understanding and interpreting the issues around the threat of workplace violence, workplace violence prevention and violence response in the delivery of his services. His motto continues to be “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

 

Can Human Resources Play an Enhanced Role in Managing the Threat of Workplace Violence Through Supervisor Intervention?

Posted on: June 22nd, 2022

Human Behavior is a critical component of preventing workplace violence.  So how can employers improve their capability to reduce the threat of violence before it escalates to the homicidal acts we have seen recently. ASK ALAN: How To STOP Workplace Violence? – (alan-adler.com)

May and June were a period of horrific workplace and public shootings. On May 14, 2022, there was the TOPS Market Mass Shooting in Buffalo, New York. Then at the start of the Memorial Day weekend there was the Robb Elementary School Shooting at Uvalde, Texas raising questions about the school’s lock down response plans and the police department’s violence response. On June 1st, there was a shooting at an Oklahoma Hospital involving a distraught patient complaining of back pain following the surgery a week earlier who killed the surgeon, and three others. Can poor communications a contributing factor?

Organizations may be waiting too long before intervening in preventing the escalation of potential problems because of confusion in not understanding the meaning of workplace violence and workplace violence prevention.

Workplace violence is not just the homicidal act of violence by the disgruntled current or former employee or the intimate partner violence spillover into the workplace. But it is the everyday variety of harassment, verbal abuse, intimidation, threats, pushing, shoving, kicking, and fighting, which OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) defines as nonfatal acts of workplace violence.

Does Human Resources (HR) have a role in training supervisors as a workplace violence prevention strategy?

If you view workplace violence prevention as an ongoing process involving multiple intervention strategies, then you agree employers must maximize their internal capabilities early on.  It does not require a complex process, but it does require senior management commitment and investment that allows for training in the recognition of warning signs, risk factors and swift intervention.

So, can Human Resources play a role in making supervisors a workplace violence prevention strategy?

I think so! Supervisors can be an effective part of the workplace violence prevention strategy if HR can play a role in providing them training in how to manage the potentially hostile workplace on aspects of workplace violence, workplace violence prevention, technical expertise and consultation that helps them determine what course of administrative action is most appropriate in specific situations.

My position is that there is NEVER an excuse for a supervisor not knowing their workforce, or for failing to recognize their responsibility in providing a work environment that is RESPECTFUL, SAFE AND CONSISTENT in its handling of both good and poor performers as well as in managing and maintaining appropriate employee behaviors. Could this be asking too much when one considers whether the workforce trust supervisors and even considers them part of the problem?

It is my belief that HR can play an initiative-taking, constructive role in building trust and confidence in the workforce? They can improve the perception that HR overlooks the minor incidents that contribute to the daily victimization of employees reluctant to report in avoiding having a bullseye painted on their chest. Employees believe that HR waits for the escalation as proof of the premediated behavior and overlooks the psychological damage the day-to-day exposure has. Training supervisors in the role they can take to address such behaviors a strategy worth pursuing before it is too late.

Can supervisors be effective in creating positive communications between management and workforce by developing an empathetic leadership style that promotes trust and confidence in the hearts and minds of employees? Employees want to be a part of the solution but view supervisors as part of the problem.

While the questions are many does it make sense for HR to play a role in training supervisors to understand their resources in assessing, evaluating, and addressing the threat of workplace violence, including use of Alternatives to Discipline and use of Alternative Dispute Resolution process, and receiving advice, and counsel regarding personnel and labor law regulations? What do we have to lose now? Despair is not a solution.

The overriding goal of supervisor involvement is to make civility and decency in the workplace as critical as the paycheck. Shouldn’t the objective at this stage be the need to upgrade and humanize the way in which employers deal with all employees every day rather than just to focus narrowly on how to respond to the one who has made threats; is confrontational, disruptive or a disciplinary problem?  So why cannot HR enhance supervisor prevention capability through their visibility by training supervisors to be the solution.

 Long-term planning to improve employee morale pays in human terms.  Studies have shown that companies with effective grievance redress, harassment procedures also reported lower rates of workplace violence and workplace conflict.

While the intention of the Zero Tolerance Policy is well known, how effective is it really when discipline is the perceived outcome. How does an employer motivate an employee to report observations of a co-worker who might be his friend or Godparent to their child if the outcome is discipline and/or separation?

Despite the perception problems, employers must pursue alternative prevention strategies if they are to stem the alarming rise of the homicidal act of workplace violence in recognizing the employer’s duty and responsibility to provide for a safe and secure workplace. A workforce that is convinced that working from home is not as risky as working from the office, plant, warehouse or being shot in the parking lot.

Are there any undocumented obstacles and hurdles? HR needs to be viewed as the Champion of workforce safety and security if they are to dismantle negative perceptions when it comes to workplace violence prevention and zero tolerance.

As an ongoing workplace violence prevention strategy HR can play a role by assisting, assessing, and investigating allegations of workplace violence in the initial stages to address root causes and contributing factors?  Do you have an answer?

Workforce patience is already stretched enough. It might be time for Human Resources to step up as leaders in a unique way if not in this way.  If supervisors are called upon to discipline those who cross the line of civility, why can’t they be called upon to serve as day-to-day mediators and observers. Workplace Violence Is Unfortunately On The Rise Felix Nater Discusses Best Practices Regarding Recent Office Shooting – EIN Presswire (einnews.com)

Supervisors can be trained to recognize dramatic changes in employees such as mood swings, changes in appearance, time and attendance problems, co-worker interactions, and work performance.

Felix P. Nater, CSC is a retired Postal Inspector and security management consultant who partners with organizations to help implement and manage workplace security with an emphasis on workplace violence prevention and active shooter and the workplace mindset. He has spent the last 20 years working with organizations interested in improving, changing or enhancing their internal capabilities.  www.naterassociates.com  

How to Improve the Strategic Value of Workplace Violence Prevention

Posted on: January 2nd, 2022

Happy 2022! May it be your best year ever.

In the late winter of 2020, Hanna Hasl-Kelchner asked me to join her on her podcast, Business Confidential Now.  A lot has happened over 2021 that has raised the level of concern, so we decided to reissue the interview in this format to get attention and implementation of some practical solutions.  We had a great conversation then if you’d like to listen to the entire episode. We’ve decided to include short snippets of each subtopic for your listening convenience as I expand upon each subtopic to make the case for proactive engagement, awareness, preparedness, and proactivity as well as training in violence response (active shooter and police response). Listen to the full episode here. https://bit.ly/3f6QhUN

 

There were three topics of particular interest that Hanna focused on that really emphasized the interview and aligned closely with the main theme and what we talked about during the show. Here they are:

 

You could be the subject of workplace violence and not know it.  OSHA has definitions of workplace violence to help employers formulate policies and captures the incidents under 4 specific Categories of Workplace Violence.  Let’s address what workplace violence covers. There are a lot of employees out there who do not know they are victims of workplace violence and who might assume because they do not know and not to report it.

 

Most workplaces to include school places do not truly understand the integration of workplace violence prevention as an organizational function. Workplaces operate believing that it can’t happen to them. They really should not think like that simply because workplaces and their workforce are a microcosm of our society. No business whether a small, medium, or large employer is immune from the reality of workplace violence.

 

Whatever the size or status of your workplace, each workplace should have a workplace violence prevention policy supported by a workplace violence prevention program. It doesn’t have to be complicated or complex, but it should cover specific aspects of the threats and risks your workplace might be exposed to or experiences. The threats and risks run the gamut from physical violence to emotional and traumatic violence otherwise known as psychological violence.

 

Because under the OSHA Duty to Warn Clause, employers are required to provide for a safe workplace violence free of any hazard that might lead to violence, they are expected to introduce workplace violence prevention policies and risk mitigation measures that include training and security measures.

 

The threat of workplace violence is a real and present danger that does not always have to include physical violence. The most frequent incidents are nonfatal such as verbal abuse such as verbal abuse which include name calling, insults, racial and ethnic slurs, taunting, harassment, bullying, sexual harassment, intimidation, threats, and nuisance behavior.

 

The idea is to address these so-called minor or nonfatal incidents as quickly as possible to avoid escalation. Stop the banter and drop the excuses.  OSHA annually documents approximately 2,000 reported incidents of what is commonly referred to as nonfatal and nonfatal incidents like an active shooter or homicide during a physical assault.  The objective is to establish a proactive workplace violence prevention mindset designed to inform the workforce through a policy that clarified what constitutes workplace violence, addresses mutual responsibilities, and speaks to the consequences for breaching the policy. Ultimately the objective is to avoid is the disgruntled employee whom you walk out the front door from returning through the unsecured back door.  https://youtu.be/eA79GElBktg

 

9 Potential workplace violence warning signs you need to know. While there are a host of red flags and warning signs that may apply to any type of workplace, my recommendation is to keep this subject as simple and practical as possible to encourage to overcome the fear of reporting his or her observation. Reporting of the coworker of misconduct is a difficult decision for the employee who relates to the problem and may be empathetic. It doesn’t mean they tolerate what they see, hear, or assume but that they do not want to be wrongly accused or might be concerned about their personal safety.

 

The purpose of workplace violence prevention training is to create a compelling training experience that encourages reporting based on red flags or warning signs and impact to workplace safety and security. The goal is early reporting and swift intervention whether it applies to an employee observation or suspicious non-employee report. Helping the workforce to appreciate the value of reporting is essential in gaining their cooperation.

 

Reporting can be anonymous or for attribution – just report it. One doesn’t have to be perfect or accurate only that it gets reported. Go with gut feelings supported by your training, suspicions, observations, and the recognized behaviors. Don’t put off the observation by rationalizing and justifying what was heard or seen. Waiting is not an option in addressing suspicious behavior.  We want to prevent escalation, prevent an assault, prevent problems by calling management’s attention appropriately and swiftly. https://youtu.be/zzajBm9w6qE

 

Why workplace violence prevention doesn’t need to be expensive. Small and midsize organizations lament over the thought because it will cost too much money and time for something that has never happened before. There is an old Lee Myles Transmission commercial – “pay me now or pay me later”.  Mandated court spending is a lot more than voluntary investment in prevention. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

 

Human Resources and Security Directors have a corporate responsibility that in many instances hampers their ability to stay on top of workplace violence prevention. Larger organizations can have a workforce spread about in multiple locations over many states and countries. Expense is a legitimate pushback on whether to hire or train their workforce onsite but not an area where the courts have been sympathetic to. Being resourceful means doing more within your budgets. Conducting employee surveys can yield incredible results. Don’t worry that will create more work. The worst witness in a civil liability lawsuit is the employee who knew but was never asked. responsibility.

 

I say if you have knowledgeable resources, and your confidence level is high, relying on your internal expertise to develop basic content and present appropriate training content with credibility will go a long way. That person could be a supervisor, the HR Professional. security manager or the safety manager. The truth is that overcoming the arguments of limited resources and time, creativity and imagination can make the workplace violence prevention initiative a cost-effective workforce safety and security investment. Doing it yourself does not have to be sophisticated – just do it and you’d be surprised at the results.  Keep it simple.

 

Resourcefulness is the tip of creativity and innovation.  Organizations that do not employee security managers can be creative in training supervisors. As leaders within organizations supervisors by virtue of their reach and accessibility by the workforce can make the difference. Used as trainers, supervisors can highlight areas of specific concern among their teams daily or as situations dictate. As leaders, supervisors can be the first line of defense in responding to employee reports and complaints, assessing incidents and conduct workplace specific assessments. They are in a strategic position to act swiftly and proactively to observations and employee reports.

 

Speaking of cost effective, the greatest tool that gets the most for the investment is the new employee orientation. It can be a time where the security and human resources can maximize this tool to engage the new employee in articulating the workplace violence prevention policy, explaining prohibited behavior, discussing situations, and emphasizing the value of responsibilities in reporting. This is an opportunity where company and the new employee establish a positive connection. Assumptions are dismantled through clarity. Remember, workplace violence is a microcosm of our society. Referring the new employee to the Employee Handbook will not clarify their assumptions of what is and isn’t.

 

As organizations grow in capacity or operate as larger organizations resourcefulness empowers innovation and creativity in the use of personnel. With a lot of employees, a lot of teams, and a lot of people and departments they can allocate, commit, and invest internal use of their workforce to conduct assessments, evaluate risks, respond to incidents more proactively and assertively.

 

Larger organizations and maybe midsize ones might have the flexibility to roll out dedicated workplace violence prevention personnel to ensure that things are moving along the right direction in support of the policy. They may even consider workplace violence prevention as a project, assigning a ‘project manager” assigned who makes sure needed follow up gets done effectively in alignment with the policy, guidelines, procedures, and timeliness.

 

“Terminations” are a necessary business function, but a difficult management decision that organizations must make. How they are conducted determines the outcome.  Having a separation or termination protocol in place gives aid and comfort to all involved that equity and justice are the objective of ensuring the employee is treated with dignity and respect as part of a professional process.

 

Workplace Violence Prevention is really a leadership function that facilitate activities in setting direction, aligning the effort, and coordinating teams and people to ensure they’re moving in that direction, motivating, and inspiring people at their core. Avoiding escalation and reducing negative emotions by containing problems and minimizing conflict is a leadership responsibility juries in civil cases like to see are in place. Leadership is the function that empowers any organization to maximize the moral and ethical responsibility to provide for a safe and secure workplace. Prevention is really an engaged workforce in organizations that integrates the effort, coordinates the process of prevention into a daily seamless effort through quality training assumed within the company culture. https://youtu.be/tNaQRAW0f0w

 

Listen to the full episode here. https://bit.ly/3f6QhUN