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How do I protect my employees from workplace aggression and violence? |
Your organisation should have a conflict management program in place. This will ensure that aggressive behaviour is immediately identified and stopped before it escalates. It may manifest itself into physically violent behaviour that could put your employees in physical danger where they fear for their safety or the behaviour may become discriminatory and thus makes you as the employer liable. |
One effective way of managing aggressive behaviour is to create a proactive program. Through constant training you are arming your employees with the skills needed to protect themselves. Training also ensures that each employee is aware of the steps available to them within the organisation to combat such behaviour. For example your program may provide for anonymous discussion with a designated employee such as a Human Resource Manager who will be able to take steps to approach the perpetrator of the aggressive behaviour. Similarly an open and frank discussion with all employees makes it clear what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. This will encourage victims to come forward and deter perpetrators. Employees will think twice before acting in a certain way. |
It is very important to ensure the policies in your workplace are not only stated to exist but are implemented. They must be effective on a practical level in order for there to be positive results. |
Research has shown that it is important to stop the behaviour early so that the perpetrator does not become comfortable and set in his ways. Further the employee who is the victim of the violent or aggressive behaviour may become demoralised and thus less effective. Their stress levels at work may lead to a reduction in the quality of their health. This may in turn lead to sick days and other leave. This reduction in productivity is an unnecessary disruption to your workplace and preventable. |
It is your responsibility as an employer to ensure you are informed about the relationships in your office in order to achieve the best results from your employees. It is important to make all your employees aware that bullying of any sort will not be tolerated. Through this people who are subject to this behaviour will feel more comfortable in coming forward and reporting this behaviour. |
Peter McNamara |
peter.mcnamara@cml.com.au
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