Violence in the Workplace
After recent headlines and devastating story of the Yale murder, violence in the workplace is a hot topic right now. It is unfortunate that a traumatic loss to a family such as this has to bring a workplace issue into the limelight, but it is causing companies to re-examine their policies and background checks right now.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has various guidelines and helpful resources available to employers for assisting with the development and enforcement of a zero tolerance workplace violence policy. Not only does this policy protect employers legally, but also holds employees to standards and lets them know that the employer is serious about keeping employees safe and free from harassment and intimidation in the workplace.
A Zero Tolerance Workplace Violence and Harassment policy is essential to all organizations – both big and small. More importantly than developing or re-examining the policy and having each and every employee sign-off on it, is enforcing the policy in the workplace. This includes but is not limited to training and counseling of any and all employees in a proactive manner. Policies of any kind are useless unless enforced and part of the everyday company culture.
HR can play an active role in developing, administering and instilling this policy in the workplace, as this is a very serious concern for all organizations. Additionally, employers can implement polices that allow for better background investigations, employee assistance programs and surveillance where necessary as some examples.
An active role I have always played in any organization whether it be a violence free policy or a whistle blowing policy, is creating a relationship with all employees. Having a good relationship with employees and building their trust in you as an HR professional and a person in general is absolutely essential and one of the most important factors that I believe I can play in any organization. When employees trust you and do not fear retaliation for complaints or problems in the workplace whether harassment, violence or a manager making them feel uncomfortable, they will come to you as the first line of defense. This is especially helpful in union environments and saves many headaches and potential for grievances down the road.
Will a Zero Tolerance Workplace Violence and Harassment policy save employee lives? I hope so, I have to believe that the more educated employees and employers are, the more something is part of a culture, the more we can protect ourselves and our employees to create a positive working environment. No policy that is created and sits on the shelf on in an employee handbook will ever be effective, whether it is a violence free policy or an email policy, but we as employers have a responsibility to our employees to keep them safe in their work environments and to do anything within our realm to make sure this happens.
