It’s a bitter pill to swallow for businesses across the United States that prosecutions for workplace violence have fallen in recent years, but these kinds of incidents continue to grow in frequency—with more than ever resulting in deadly shootings.
Here at Lauth Investigations International, among the spectrum of workplace investigations services that we provide, our comprehensive violence and threat assessment has seen steady demand as business owners recognize the dangers posed to their workforces. The question is, do you need a violence and threat assessment for your business, clinic, or hospital? Here’s what you need to know.
Why Workplace Violence and Threat Readiness Should Be a Priority
Whether you are a human resources professional or an entrepreneur steering a private organization, if your enterprise calls a healthcare setting home, then the risk for your team is real. Alarmingly, some 75% of all workplace violence incidents in the United States involve healthcare professionals, and this danger places them 12 times more at risk than other workforces.
However, that doesn’t mean that other industries are immune to the perils of workplace violence. In fact, a survey in human resources oversight revealed that 48% of American organizations had experienced workplace violence at one time or another. Offering further clues to those weighing the value of preventative measures, the New York State Department of Labor provides the following examples of employment situations that may pose higher risks of workplace violence:
- Duties that involve the exchange of money
- Delivery of passengers, goods, or services
- Duties that involve mobile workplace assignments
- Working with unstable or volatile persons in health care, social service, or criminal justice settings
- Working alone or in small numbers
- Working late at night or during early morning hours
- Working in high-crime areas
- Duties that involve guarding valuable property or possessions
- Working in community-based settings
- Working in a location with uncontrolled public access to the workplace
Combating Workplace Violence for Your Company
While having a clear policy on workplace investigations in order to respond to violent or threatening behavior is critical, it is one of the last elements of a well-rounded workplace violence prevention and management plan. In order to avoid liability, injury, or worse, your company’s policy should span from proactive prevention through to timely response and investigation.
First must come efforts to make your organization and employees hard targets for potential perpetrators through effective security procedures, clear recruitment and conduct policies, and ongoing training and awareness. It is also vital to understand corporate culture importance—because when toxicity takes hold within a professional setting, violence is only one of the unwelcome symptoms that may ensue.
A violence and threat assessment is an excellent way to hit the ground running, providing a clear plan of how to mitigate risk and safeguard your team against harm. A deeper understanding of the current health metrics of your workplace can be gleaned with a corporate culture audit—a particularly essential aid when incidents of violence or threatening behavior have already become pervasive. Finally, thorough background screening of all incoming employees can help to prevent the welcoming of a dangerous individual into your workforce.
Most businesses find expert external guidance in these areas to be essential when it comes to protecting their teams and ensuring that optimal productivity can continue. To find all of these services alongside skilled investigative support for human resource investigations, turn to the seasoned and specialist corporate team here at Lauth Investigations International. We can provide tailored solutions to help your unique organization meet its ultimate goals, so get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation.