The Difinition and Types of Workplace Violence Essay Example

as shoplifting, robbery and theft. Terrorism is also part of this category. Client against an employee is type-2 category of workplace violence where a person with legitimate relationship with the company threatens or attacks the business service providers. The person could be a customer buying goods, a client seeking services, a patient attacking a physician or a student attacking a school member of staff.

Steps and Provisions

The first step would be to establish workplace policy that is zero-tolerance to violence. Thereafter, the employees would have to undergo initial and regular training to be equipped with all facts to do with workplace violence and provisions in the policy. Some of the most fundamental provisions of the policy would be an elaborate definition of what constitutes violence and measures against unacceptable behavior. More specifically, preventive measures for category 1violence would be enhancement of physical security in the workplace incorporating technology such as surveillance systems. Local police agencies would also help in boosting physical security. Category 2 violence would require development of effective teams and programs to offer efficient customer services. Category-3 violence would require hiring qualified people and treating them with utmost professionalism. Risk factors such as layoffs, disciplinary measures and terminations should be addressed with a lot of care, concern and respect.

Taking an example of workplace violence, a customer was caught on camera attacking a Burger King Restaurant employee simply in a way to protest over the quality of her milk shake. The 62-year employee by the name of Aejeandar Estrad decided to make two more drinks for the customer but it could not satisfy him. He became angrier and punched the employee several times back in

an office (Star-telegram, 2016). This was type-2 violence category where a client attacks a worker. This could have been prevented if the restaurant had employed enough human security to take care of the restaurant. Again, instead of leaving a single employee to be in charge of the restaurant, the management would have considered more employees working in a team. In another incident, Roanoke, a former television reporter who was allegedly fired on account of discrimination and racism, sought revenge and gunned down two of his former colleagues while on a live broadcast (Michael, 2015). Although the perpetrator shot himself some few hours later, he committed a type-3 example of workplace violence having felt that his layoff was out of racism and discrimination. This crime would have been prevented if the media station would have used proper procedures for layoff to make sure that the affected employee could not feel discrimination for the layoff decision.

References

1. Workplace Violence. (2016). FBI. Retrieved 26 June 2016, from https://www.fbi.gov/stats- services/publications/workplace-violence/workplace-violence/view
2. Michael D. Shear, R. (2015). Ex-Broadcaster Kills 2 on Air in Virginia Shooting; Takes Own Life Nytimes.com Retrieved 26 June 2016, from
3. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/27/us/wdbj7-virginia-journalists-shot-during-live- broadcast.html?_r=0
4. Burger King customer unhappy about his shake attacks employee. (2016). star-telegram. Retrieved 26 June 2016, from http://www.star-telegram.com/news/ local/crime/ article 84828922.html