Arm Your Organization Against Workplace Violence

I Knew He Would Snap One Day

In September an employee of a Nebraska cold storage warehouse shot three coworkers before turning the gun on himself.

Employees noticed the warning signs prior to the shooting, but no one reported the behavior.

When these incidents appear on the news, employees and family members often comment:

• I knew he would snap one day….
• He said he would kill everyone….
• We were all scared of him…..

Frightened employees typically try avoidance: but ignoring the problem often empowers violent behavior. Without boundaries and intervention, situations can escalate to the unthinkable.

Barriers to Reporting Red Flag Behaviors

After an incident, survivors often regret they didn't tell more people about their fear.

Could the violence have been avoided? Responding to the “red flags” may have saved lives, but there are often barriers to reporting:

• It's just talk, he doesn't mean it   
• I don't want to be a tattle-tale
• I'm afraid of retribution
• I don't want to get them fired 

Is there an employee at your company who is sending up “red flags?” Would your staff report the behavior to you if it was happening? Would you know what to do if it was reported to you? There are tools available to help you answer those questions, including a new training program from Workplace Answers.

Average Employees Play an Important Role in Preventing Workplace Violence

We can hope and pretend it won't happen to us, but anywhere there are people, there is a potential for conflict or violence. The workplace must be an environment where everyone knows they play a vital role in the fight against workplace violence and carries out their part to combat it:

• Who is responsible for reporting suspicious behavior?
• What types of behavior warrant reporting?
• How do you recognize the red flags for potential violence?
• Why should we act on that “gut feeling” that something is wrong? 

Could workplace violence happen at your company? The answer unfortunately is yes, it can happen anywhere. Employees are the first line of defense against workplace violence.

Workplace Answers Preventing Violence in the Workplace training program teaches employees how to identify and report suspicious behavior. Sign up for a demo to learn how training can prevent potential threats from turning into incidents.