Workplace violence refers to any physical or vocal threat made against others in the workplace, including but not limited to physical attacks, verbal threats, and intimidation that would make someone fearful of returning to work. Unfortunately, it's impossible to predict when violence will occur in the workplace and amongst who, whether between employees, clients, or those visiting patients in a healthcare environment. Sadly, of the more than 5,000 deaths at workplaces across the United States throughout 2019, approximately 761 were intentional.
No one wakes up and gets ready for work expecting to find themselves in a situation where they're physically or verbally attacked while simply attempting to do their jobs, but it can happen. Although workplace violence isn't entirely preventable because it's nearly impossible to predict the actions of others, especially when hundreds of people visit the worksite each day, healthcare leaders must focus on developing a solid workplace violence protection plan. Devising such a plan is the key to providing employees with safer, more enjoyable experiences and keeping them protected from potential threats as much as possible. When employees feel safer, they are more productive and can work to the best of their ability rather than constantly having concerns over their safety at work.
What Causes Workplace Violence? Understanding How Threatening Situations Can Develop
Workplace violence has become increasingly common. Roughly two million people become victims of such horrific and random acts of brutality at their jobs each year. Even worse, healthcare workers tend to experience the brunt of the damage, with 50% of all cases involving individuals who work in the healthcare industry. But what is it that causes workplace violence in the first place? The key to prevention is understanding the common causes of these acts of brutality, which enables healthcare leaders to take adequate steps to protect their employees to the best of their ability.
Leading Causes of Violence in the Workplace
These are some of the many reasons violence in the workplace may occur, putting the lives of everyone at risk, including employees, clients/patients, and visitors.
Layoffs
Workplace violence may occur when employees get laid off or fired. While the average worker would accept this situation and move forward, choosing to apply elsewhere, not everyone feels the same. Those incredibly upset over being laid off or fired may then resort to violence against other professionals in the workplace, including their superiors, who make these kinds of decisions.
Financial-Related Issues
When money is involved, situations can take a turn for the worse. Not only can financial-related issues lead to disgruntled workers who are overly stressed and frustrated, but anything involving money can potentially cause frustration among the different clients/patients.
Workplace Bullying/Alienation
Unfortunately, workplace bullying does occur in different environments, often leading to the alienation of specific individuals. When employees feel ostracized, anger and frustration can build up inside them, eventually causing them to blow up, which may lead to physical violence or verbal threats against other team members. When this happens, it puts everyone in the workplace at risk of becoming a victim of a crime.
Disciplinary Action
When employees receive disciplinary action for doing something they shouldn't have, most will accept the notice and move forward, learning from the mistake to avoid doing it again. However, others may feel a significant sense of anger over the disciplinary action, which could cause them to act out against the person who gave them the write-up in the first place.
Mental Illness
Those who are struggling with mental illness may also pose a more significant threat in the workplace. These individuals could be employees or clients/patients who come to the healthcare facility to receive services. As of 2020, more than 52 million people in the United States suffer from some form of mental illness, making it hard to detect when someone could have a breakdown or act out of impulse because of that illness.
By identifying and understanding the leading causes of workplace violence, healthcare providers can focus on building a workplace violence prevention plan that mitigates risk.
Putting a Proactive Plan in Place: What Healthcare Leaders Can Do to Offer Greater Workplace Violence Protection
Healthcare leaders can develop protocols for employees to follow in the workplace. Each protocol plays a vital role in violence prevention to keep everyone in the building as safe as possible.
Focus on Diversity and Inclusion Among Team Members
Because some instances of workplace violence occur due to employees feeling ostracized by their team members, it's crucial for healthcare leaders to foster a welcoming and accepting environment that is both diverse and inclusive. When everyone feels comfortable in the workplace, violence is less likely, and productivity is often at an all-time high because there is less drama or teamwork.
Keep Documentation of Any Incidents That Occur
When incidents or threats occur, healthcare leaders must keep documentation, including the date, time, and names of everyone involved. Whether it happens amongst employees or between employees and clients/patients or visitors, it's necessary to have this information logged into a system to use as a reference if anything escalates in the future. In addition to documentation, they should conduct an investigation, digging deeper into the situation to reduce risks.
Provide Training to Ensure Employees Are Aware of Potential Hazards and Risks
Leaders in healthcare should offer training that makes employees aware of potential hazards and risks that can occur. Employees need to know what to look out for when dealing with the public and when to report their peers or anyone else in the healthcare environment for their actions or threatening statements made that could put others at risk. The best way to ensure that everyone is on the same page is to provide continuous training that includes details on how to attempt to diffuse situations when things appear to be getting out of control.
Have an Emergency Call System Available and Ready to Use
Utilizing an emergency call system and showing employees how to use it can give them more peace of mind. If they know they can receive quick assistance when dealing with a potentially threatening situation, they will feel more at ease and can continue to do their jobs accordingly.
Complete Safety Drills
It's common for healthcare leaders to have safety drills for employees. These drills help prepare employees for actions to take, such as looking for the closest exit, contacting the local authorities, or paging someone else on the floor to get help whenever they feel threatened.
Healthcare leaders are responsible for providing staff members with the safest workplace possible. As a result, they must take specific preventative measures to reduce risks and offer a much greater level of protection. Developing a workplace violence protection plan is the key to mitigating physical violence and threats risks while ensuring things never get too far out of hand to the point that employees experience harm as a direct result of someone else's actions.
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