Bullying and Violence in the Workplace

Examples of Type 1 Workplace Violence

-A stranger who intends to rob a store might shoot or assault the cashier -A taxi driver who is hijacked and robbed -A member of a law enforcement agency who is assaulted or shot while on duty

Which three of these situations do you think constitute acts of workplace violence? -A manager yells at an employee, saying that she is useless and deserves to be fired -A woman storms into her husband's office and threatens to kill him because of his affair -A woman comes to work with a black eye after her boyfriend punched her -A client threatens to kill his lawyer in the lawyer's office because she lost her lawsuit -A customer pushes a check-out clerk

-A woman storms into her husband's office and threatens to kill him because of his affair -A client threatens to kill his lawyer in the lawyer's office because she lost her lawsuit -A customer pushes a check-out clerk

Which of these situations could be considered workplace bullying? -During an all-staff meeting, a manager tells the group, as he has done several times before, that if you want to know how to succeed at failing in this organization, they should read Lorraine's latest business development plan -An employee teases his coworker about the coworker's speech impediment, laughing at him every time he speaks -A manager pushes one of his employees following an argument between the two

-During an all-staff meeting, a manager tells the group, as he has done several times before, that if you want to know how to succeed at failing in this organization, they should read Lorraine's latest business development plan -An employee teases his coworker about the coworker's speech impediment, laughing at him every time he speaks

Now that you've learned about the warning signs, which two of these statements do you think describe benefits of being able to recognize the warning signs of potential workplace violence? -Management can eliminate the possibility of workplace violence occurring -Employees can recognize situations that should be brought to the attention of managers or HR -Managers and HR personnel can intervene to address high-risk employee behavior before they escalate

-Employees can recognize situations that should be brought to the attention of managers or HR -Managers and HR personnel can intervene to address high-risk employee behavior before they escalate

Which of these four situations would be considered workplace violence? -Joan walks into her assistant's office and spits in her face for losing an important client -A police officer tries to apprehend a mugger and is shot in the leg -A nurse is attacked by a patient who refuses medication -Trevor is using the photocopier at work. When it jams, he is so frustrated he kicks the photocopier and breaks it -May's husband comes into her office and threatens to assault her, and then leaves without doing anything

-Joan walks into her assistant's office and spits in her face for losing an important client -A police officer tries to apprehend a mugger and is shot in the leg -A nurse is attacked by a patient who refuses medication -May's husband comes into her office and threatens to assault her, and then leaves without doing anything

Common personal indicators that may signal a potential for workplace violence:

-a history of violence -depression -alienation from coworkers and friends -evidence of a persecution complex -poor personal hygiene -a negative change in personality -an unhealthy fascination with weapons -substance abuse -marked deterioration in work ethic

Type 1 Workplace Violence

-account for as much as 80% of workplace homicides

Aggravating Issues

-are external factors that amplify personal problems -these are usually beyond the control of the person who is experiencing them

Personal Indicators

-are things you notice in the way people behave and present themselves -they can give you insight into what is going on in a person's mind

Type 2 Workplace Violence

-is common -occurs especially in professions that deal directly with the public, in often stressful situations -often deal with emotionally charged and complex interpersonal situations

Examples of Type 2 Workplace Violence

-nurses -doctors -judges -police officers -lawyers -social workers

Common examples of such aggravating issues:

-problems at home with relationships and money -problems with employment, including demotion, layoffs and termination -problems with managers and coworkers -criminal matters unrelated to the workplace

Stage 3

-the "final straw" -when a person becomes openly aggressive -during this phase, the person typically hurts others or themselves, or threatens to do so -in extreme situations, the person might even openly display a weapon, such as a knife of a gun -by this stage, it may already be too late to prevent violence from occurring

Stage 1

-the detachment phase -one of the most important phases to recognize -after detaching from people emotionally, it becomes easier for the perpetrator to hurt them. Calling colleagues derogatory names -other issues in this phase include a lack of respect for authority, disregard for rules, and alienation from others

Stage 2

-this is when the early warning signs intensify -in this stage, a person begins to lose control and no longer tries to mask their aggression -they usually stop caring about the potential consequences of his actions -this phase is highly confrontational, and may include heated arguments and threats -a person typically begins to show contempt for his company or colleagues, and may even begin stealing from the company or his coworkers as a way to "get back" at those their angry with

3 Stages

Stage 1: early warning signs Stage 2: intensification Stage 3: open aggression

Four main types of workplace violence

Type 1: Workplace violence committed during a crime by individuals with no association to the workplace Type 2: Workplace violence committed by customers or recipients of services Type 3: Workplace violence committed by fellow employees Type 4: Workplace violence committed by people with whom employees have relationships outside the workplace

Type 3 Workplace Violence might stem from:

a disgruntled worker or former employee (someone who has been fired or reprimanded), or possibly from ongoing conflict between a group of employees

Examples of a Personal Indicator

a normally well-dressed and punctual employee who starts coming to work late and unkempt

Examples of Aggravating Issues

an already stressed and volatile employee finds out that his spouse is filing for divorce and he will likely face a difficult financial settlement as a result

Example of Type 4 Workplace Violence:

an angry ex-girlfriend comes to her former boyfriend's place of work and attacks him

Type 4 Workplace Violence might stem from:

fallouts between friends, cases of personal revenge, or debt settling

Type 3 Workplace Violence

is perhaps the easiest for an employer to monitor, because an employer may have an opportunity to observe key warning signs

Workplace violence and threatening behavior affect everybody. When workers are intimidated they can be:

less productive, suffer anxiety, and lose trust in their employers. Workplace violence can take many forms and occurs in a wide range of different circumstances. There are four main types of workplace violence, as defined by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH, defines workplace violence as

violent acts (including physical assaults and threats of assaults) directed towards persons at work or on duty

2 types of Warning Signs:

1. personal indicators 2. aggravating issues

There's no denying that workplace violence is a major concern. Right now you might be thinking, "What kind of person could do such a thing?" That's a good question. Which of these people might commit an act of workplace violence? Options: 1.The quiet clerk who just goes about his business 2.The boisterous cashier who laughs loudly and tells jokes 3.The angry customer who wants a refund 4.The ex-employee who can't find a job 5.The good-natured supervisor 6.The ex-spouse of an employee

Actually, any of these people could commit an act of workplace violence.

Type 4 Workplace Violence

occurs when a personal dispute is brought into the workplace