With over 300 mass shootings so far already across the United States in 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive, these tragic incidents have brought to light the reality that all businesses need to protect their employees from acts of violence. As high-profile acts of targeted mass violence continue to occur in workplaces across the nation, many employers are wondering how best to protect their people, property and profitability.
According to OSHA and leading industry associations, the short answer is employers should develop and implement a workplace violence prevention program to identify concerning employee behaviors early and provide a structured approach to prevent and respond to violence and threats.
As a fashion and apparel business, it is your responsibility to ensure a safe environment for your employees and visitors.
The best time to develop a workplace violence prevention program is before you need one. Therefore, if you don’t have one in place, now is the time to be prepared. Workplace violence consistently ranks in the top three causes of worker fatalities, and OSHA reports that over 2 million people are affected by workplace violence annually.
Although it is crucial to take steps to protect from hostile intruders, it is also important to remember that many incidents of workplace violence occur from within. When hostile workplace behavior goes unchecked, it can have a wide-ranging impact. The consequences can be severe, including lost productivity, employee turnover, reputational damage, lawsuits and even workplace violence/loss of life.
Recognizing the warning signs of workplace violence and taking appropriate action is essential. It’s important that the focus is not just on individual illegal behaviors, but more broadly, the toxic workplace cultures that create unproductive, disheartened workforces. When unaddressed, toxic cultures and workplace behaviors like bullying, harassment and discrimination can escalate toward violence.
Evaluate the workplace and identify both physical and administrative adjustments that you can make proactively:
- Institute policies and procedures that indicate a zero-tolerance of workplace violence and provide direction for reporting and handling incidents.
- Establish an internal threat assessment team to manage any threats of violence or concerning behaviors that you may become aware of. Threats toward a business can come from a variety of sources. If you become aware of a threat toward a location or person, it is critical that your team can assess and manage the matter before it escalates.
- Provide training in defusing or de-escalating potentially violent situations and inform employees of the risks of workplace violence.
- Consider the risk of assault when directing workers to take out garbage, store items in external areas, transport money, etc.
- Establish procedures for obtaining medical care and psychological support after a violent incident.
- Create a crisis response plan that describes procedures to follow in the event of an emergency, which should include evacuation routes and exits or building lockdown procedures. Post the plan for all staff and patrons to access.
- Establish an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with trained counselors who can address workplace stress and violence issues. As a confidential service to employees, the EAP provider will assess whether a situation needs to be brought to management and can intervene in employee conflicts.
- In the event of a shooting, record any physical property damage to broken windows and doors or bullet holes in walls or floors and take pictures.
Having a crisis management plan that you practice periodically is crucial. Unfortunately, senseless acts of violence are often unavoidable even with the best practices in place. Workplace violence prevention program development can often be a challenging process for the business leaders, safety and security managers and human resource professionals tasked with building a program — however, they are imperative. Work with your insurance broker and their dedicated risk management team to ensure that you’re prepared and protected.
For the latest information, guidance and resources on how to help you protect what matters most, please visit Hub’s dedicated Workplace Violence & Active Shooter Resource Center.
Frank DeLucia currently serves as senior vice president of Hub International Northeast, a leading full-service global insurance brokerage. He can be reached by phone at (212)338-2395 or at frank.delucia@hubinternational.com. For more information on Hub, please visit hubinternational.com.
