According to a nationwide survey included in the new book Potential: Workplace Violence Prevention and Your Organizational Success, written by Bill Whitmore of corporate security services provider AlliedBarton Services, one-third of respondents employed outside the home go to work every day fearing a violent incident.
While not all instances of workplace violence end in significant injury for the victim, this fear is still very much rooted in reality, and business officials must be prepared to proactively address any instances of physical confrontation that may occur in an office setting.
This issue recently was recently highlighted near Orlando, Florida, after multiple complaints were filed against Osceola County Clerk of Court Malcom Thompson for assault.
According to an article published by the Orlando Sentinel, Thompson shoved a female employee working in the courthouse's executive office because she failed to take Christmas cards out of his office.
After the initial complaint was processed, the Sentinel reports that another female staff member working in the courthouse's human resources department came forward. The second woman alleged that Thompson intimidated her after informing Florida Governor Rick Scott of the investigation that ensued after the shoving incident.
It is also notable that the Sentinel reports testimony from employees who did not want to be named for fear of termination. This indicates that the courthouse needs to institute a workplace prevention policy to educate employees that blowing the whistle on such inappropriate behavior is the right decision, and will never lead to termination.
In order to undertake corporate violence education and training initiatives, it would be wise for business officials to deploy the services of an experienced consultant who can help put workplace violence preparedness measures into a company's business continuity plan.
Another viable solution is sending business representatives to attend the Workshop On Emerging Trends And Approaches: Integrating And Collaborating Resources In Preventing Violence In The Workplace in Scottsdale, Arizona, on April 19 to gain hands-on training regarding the best practices for violence prevention.