Wherever there are people, there will be conflict. Conflict is a natural part of human interaction, in some instances the outcome of the conflict can be an improved relationship, in extreme situations it can lead to lethal violence. While most conflict will be resolved by the parties involved, or defuse naturally over time, some conflict can lead to long-term psychological and physical harm, think of domestic violence as an example. The workplace is no exception to this rule when it comes to human interaction. People spend the majority of their waking day in the workplace. Sometimes, the nature of a person’s employment increases the risk that threats can be made, for example, those working in customer services, human resources, ethics officers, mental health experts, policing, security or members of the legal profession. However, in most examples, it is not a risky employment type that exposes a person to workplace violence, it is the mere nature of human relationships.
Recent South African Study shows 80% of respondents experienced hostile behaviour in the workplace during their life. In another study 78% of employees confirmed that they had been bullied or victimized at least once in their careers. A third local study showed that 31.1% of the sample had experienced workplace bullying.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act (No.85 of 1993) states that an employer has certain duties towards their employees. These include providing and maintaining a working environment that is safe and without risk to the health of employees. The spirit of this Act can be interpreted to include the psychological and physical safety of employees in respect of violence and threats of violence. Employers can face civil actions from employees who are injured in the workplace, especially when there was some prior indication that violence could be a possible outcome.
While many threats, thankfully, don’t lead to lethal violence, this does not mean that there are no physical, psychological nor work-place consequences. Employees who feel safe in their work environment will be more productive. By acting proactively when employees are feeling threatened, before any violence takes place, employees experience a positive attitude towards their employer, whom they perceive as caring about their wellbeing. Anxious staff are not productive and are more likely to book off sick with anxiety related problems, or to seek alternative employment. Helping identify warning signs for potential violence allows for actions to be put in motion to avoid such violence taking place, and allow staff to feel safe and secure and protected by their organization. However, training and experience is required to effectively and responsibly assess and determine the possible outcome, and develop a strategy to prevent the violence from happening. With this knowledge staff will be better equipped to be able to respond to conduct that may adversely affect the safety of employees or the company. The core strategies of threat assessment enhance personal safety, manage fear, restore productivity and promote well-being.
