Workplace violence is a complex and widespread issue. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tallied 37,060 injuries caused by violence at work in 2020, along with 392 workplace homicides.
In addition to the harm it causes to its victims and those who witness it, violent events at work also create a financial burden for employers. One estimate puts the total cost of violent incidents at work at $120 billion per year, while individual cases of workplace violence result in approximately $3.1 million in damages when the courts determine that the employer had not done enough to prevent the incident.
It is also a major issue for women’s safety. While transport-related incidents are responsible for the highest number of deaths on the job overall, homicide is the leading cause of workplace fatalities for women.
Moreover, many cases non-fatal workplace violence go unreported so the real numbers would paint an even darker picture.
While the situation is bleak, there is hope. Employers and safety professionals can take steps to identify the risk of violence in the workplace and implement measures to prevent it and keep their employees safe.
What Is Workplace Violence?
Workplace violence is any act of violence, or the threat of violence, directed against workers on the job.
The popular understanding of the term is that it refers to physical assault only, but this is mistaken. Workplace violence includes:
- Threatening behavior
- Verbal or written threats
- Harassment
- Verbal abuse
- Physical attacks
- Homicide
Workplace violence is also not limited to incidents that take place on the premises of a traditional workplace. People working in public spaces, in a client’s home, or any other location can be victims of workplace violence.
A number of factors can increase a person’s risk of becoming a victim of workplace violence, including:
- Working with the public
- Handling valuables, such as money, jewelry, or prescription drugs
- Carrying out inspection or enforcement duties
- Providing social services, such as education and healthcare
- Working alone
- Working late at night or early in the morning
- Working on holidays
(Find out How to Perform a Lone Worker Risk Assessment)
From 2003 to 2010, more than half of workplace homicides that were reported occurred within three occupational groups:
- Sales and related occupations (28%)
- Protective service occupations (17%)
- Transportation and material moving occupations (13%)
This means that retail workers, healthcare workers, correctional officers, social service workers, teachers, and public works employees are at higher risk of workplace violence.
Categories of Workplace Violence
Addressing work-related violence is a complex endeavor because it’s an issue that stems from different sources. To better understand its causes and possible solutions, researchers have divided workplace violence into four categories:
- Criminal Intent (Type I): The perpetrator has no legitimate relationship to the business or its employees, and is usually committing a crime in conjunction with the violence, such as robbery, shoplifting, or trespassing (85% of workplace homicides fall into this category)
- Customer/Client (Type II): The perpetrator has a legitimate relationship with the business and becomes violent while being served by the business (healthcare service providers, police officers, prison staff, flight attendants, and teachers are examples of workers who may be exposed to Type II workplace violence)
- Worker-on-Worker (Type III): The perpetrator is an employee or past employee who attacks or threatens another employee or past employee in the workplace
- Personal Relationship (Type IV): The perpetrator usually does not have a relationship with the business but has a personal relationship with an employee (this category often includes victims of domestic violence)
(Learn more in Analyzing New Trends to Improve the Health and Safety of Women in the Workplace)
What Can Employers Do to Protect Their Employees?
Research into the prevention of workplace violence is still a work in progress. However, there are a few things that employers can do to keep their employees safe. The best protection employers can offer is to establish a zero-tolerance policy toward workplace violence against or by their employees. This can be achieved by establishing a workplace violence prevention program.
Employers can also implement preventive measures, such as making changes to:
- Workplace Design: Considering factors such as workplace layout, signs, locks or physical barriers, lighting, and electronic surveillance
- Administrative Practices: Re-evaluating decisions about the way business is conducted (for instance, having employees work in pairs rather than alone), as well as providing safety education for employees
- Work Practices: For example, regular check-ins for employees who work outside a traditional workplace setting, establishing protocols for workers who are in a situation that makes them feel unsafe, and providing workers with a portable panic button
How Can Employees Protect Themselves?
Nothing can guarantee that an employee will not become a victim of workplace violence; however, the following tips can help reduce the risk. Employees should:
- Attend personal safety training programs to learn how to recognize and avoid potentially violent situations
- Alert their employers about any concerns they may have regarding safety or security
- Report all incidents in writing immediately
- Avoid traveling into unfamiliar locations alone
- Avoid potentially dangerous situations whenever possible
- Carry minimal amounts of cash
- Carry valid forms of identification into community settings
A Future Without Violence
The news is flooded with stories of workplace violence, ranging from armed convenience store robberies to students attacking their teachers and classmates. Unfortunately, workplace violence affects us all. Its burden is borne not only by victims of violence, but also by their co-workers, their families, and their employers.
The problem is far from solved, but by improving awareness of its negative impacts and what can be done about it, we can move in the right direction.