Preventing Violence in the Workplace

A two-day forum on preventing violence in the workplace, conducted by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), brought together representatives from government agencies responsible for mental health programs and workplace violence experts, including management consultants, research investigators, union officials, company managers, and employee assistance program and mental health professionals. The objective of the forum was to synthesize diverse perspectives on the scope of the problem, develop mental health-related prevention strategies, and provide direction for researchers, social scientists, and policymakers.

The Scope of the Workplace Violence Problem

A broad definition of workplace violence would include self-directed as weli as other-directed assault, verbal assault that is implicitly threatening to either the physical or psychological well-being of the individual, as well as physical assault, and violence of any sort that occurs in the workplace even if its source is unrelated to the work environment A more restrictive definition of workplace violence might consider only physical assault that occurs in the workplace and is linked with the victim's occupation.

Forum participants agreed that, whether narrowly or broadly defined, violence ranks high among occupational hazards. Homicide was reported to be the third leading cause of death on the job for men and the primary cause for women (Fox and Levin forthcoming; Centers for Disease Control 1993). When instances of physical and verbal assault, injury resulting from carelessness, and suicide attempts are considered episodes of violence, the number of affected workers increases.

Participants agreed that the costs of violence in the workplace include diminished efficiency and reduced productivity, increased turnover, absenteeism, and sabotage or vandalism. Effects suffered by co-workers following a violent incident include intrusive memories, anxiety, and sleep difficulties which will inevitably disrupt productivity. Additional potential costs to employers include compensation for injuries, counseling, redesign of the workplace, and lawsuits.

The forum participants concluded that a broader definition was more likely to generate remedies that would address every form of workplace violence. At the same time it is important to recognize that different forms of workplace violence may require different approaches to prevention.

CMHS94 5002
1994

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