Losing someone you care about and work with to violence is both shocking and traumatic. This is a good time for us all to be thoughtful about awareness and reporting policies. Companies can help ensure a safe workplace and reduce the risk of violence with a Workplace Violence Policy. Such policies include provisions that define:
-
Prohibited conduct
-
Reporting procedures
-
Risk reduction measures
-
Employees who may be at greater risk
-
Responding to dangerous or emergent situations, and
-
Enforcement.
Perhaps even more critical is a threat assessment that identifies potential areas of risk unique to your workplace and ensuring your employees understand what constitutes workplace violence, how to respond to it, and prevent it. A threat assessment and clear plan of action will go far towards meeting an employers legal obligation to provide a safe workplace.