Prepare Policy -Preparing to keep a workplace safe takes time, research, and often mentorship. Don’t take this role lightly. Most of us don’t expect violence before it occurs – it’s a surprise! And a costly, sometimes lethal surprise at that. Prepare for a safe, healthy, and happy workplace.

Steps to Prepare Your Workplace Against Prevent Workplace Violence

As we discussed last week – protecting the workplace is the joint responsibility of every employee, but it certainly begins with management. While there are many practical tools to implement, which we will continue to discuss in detail over the summer, first, the management team must lay a solid groundwork by knowing and communicating company policies on the issue. Policies clearly enunciate your expectations and the consequences for failure to comply.

It is important to have a clear policy on offensive behavior. Perhaps even more importantly,  remember that the policy is implemented in order to prevent offensive behavior from occurring in the workplace. Prevention of this type of behavior will increase employees’ feeling of security and trust in the organization.

Here are some Prepare Policy Point Suggestions

  • A list of the specific behaviors should be clearly recognized as being offensive
  • Specifically state that such forms of behavior are unacceptable in any form within the workplace
  • Acknowledge that offensive behavior can come from colleagues, supervisors, clients, customers, or members of the public
  • Acknowledge that bullying can often come from colleagues and supervisors whilst violence often comes from clients, customers, or members of the public
  • The workplace policy should deal with both primary prevention (i.e., how to prevent offensive behavior) and secondary prevention (i.e., how to help employees who have been offended and to deal with the offender)
  • The workplace policy should also include a procedure for ensuring that an offended employee can return to the workplace if they have been away from the workplace recovering from psychological or physical injury (a return to work program).

Refresh, Revise, Revisit

If you have not visited your policy for a year or two, it’s time to revisit it. Changes in our society, HR regulations and the ability to retain skilled workers demand that safety at work be a central concern and practice.