Workplace violence ranks as one of the top four causes of on-the-job injuries, according to the Labor Department.
A lot of small business owners and managers seem to think that only larger companies are affected by workplace violence incidents, this is wrong; anyone can have an incident happen to their business.
The biggest problem is that the effects are most often a catastrophe for a small business.
They do not have the resources of a large company, not the same insurance and not the sustainability of a larger company when an incident of workplace violence happens.
So what are the biggest factors a small business can do to reduce this from happening? Most effective is the pre-employment hiring process; do thorough background checks.
Saving money on these can often cost you a lot more in damages to your business if and when things go wrong with a bad employee hiring or retention lawsuit.
Not having proper policy and procedures for situations and not enough training for your employees to understand these types of situations.
It is up to you and also a legal requirement to provide a safe work environment for your business, the fines and lawsuits are very high priced for those who chose not to handle this.
This can happen from a number of things: * Domestic Violence * Bullying * Threats * Stalking * Intimidation * Harassment * Perceived Injustices * Jealousy * Passover for Advancement * Negligent Hiring * Negligent Retention * Negligent Supervision These are just some of the things that cause a workplace violence incident to happen if not dealt with when it is encountered.
Warning signs are most always present before an incident occurs, it is just the fact that most people fail to recognize them and act on the information.
We hear it all the time after an incident, "we just thought he was being his usual self".
Small businesses have a duty to protect their workers and business, OSHA and other laws in effect cover this no matter where your business is or what type of business you have, they are all covered under the laws and rules.
If you fail to comply and protect; then you will be sued and fined for your failings, these can be in the thousands and millions of dollars.
There is an old saying "It is less expensive to be proactive than to be reactive", this is true and you cannot hope for the fate of not having something happen to continue, if you do you will sooner or later lose.
Small businesses should work to prevent these types of situations before they happen, it helps your business be safer, giving your employees and customers a safer feeling while doing business with you.
Having security measures in place will help reduce these incidents, having policy and procedures to address these and other safety concerns will help too.
It all comes down to being prepared before something happens, it costs less to be proactive than to be reactive and it can reduce your insurance and workers compensation each year while providing a safer work environment.
You should have professional help in these matters; your lawyer, CPA and a good security consultant/investigator can keep time and money down to a minimum and get the work done right the first time.
You should remember; security is the business and persons responsibility, not anyone else's! Where do you want to be, the breaking news item or the safe place with no incidents to be reported on? Spend a little now or a lot in the future!