Preventing Workplace Violence : A Guide for Employers and Practitioners

This book provides recent real-life case studies, and offers practical guidance and recommendations for assessing the risks of workplace violence and preventing it. Substantial appendices cover: zero tolerance policies; sample survey and audit instruments; post office violence;the results of an important US national and local survey;state and federal guidelines on violence.

The people on the front lineùthose responsible for the safety and health of the workplace-understand the costs of threats, assaults, and fear on the morale and productivity of their employees. They also understand the costs of negative publicity, bad public relations, and litigation on the survival of their enterprises. Violence in the workplace, whether it comes from the outside or originates from within, is a frightening prospect. How can it be prevented? Through real-world cases, Preventing Workplace Violence provides a detailed look at how traditional tools for occupational health and safety, discipline, and employee relations are inadequate and inappropriate in responding to the problem of workplace violence. In fact, the methods and approaches commonly in use actually worsen the problem in some cases. This book summarizes the most up-to-date learning in this area and offers practical guidance and recommendations for assessing the risk of violence, steps for preventing workplace violence, and a thorough discussion of employee rights and employer responsibilities. Highly recommended for employers, managers, union leaders, attorneys, consultants, and others who confront the issue of violence in the workplace. Preventing Workplace Violence will be invaluable to scholars and professionals in management, organizational studies, human resources, interpersonal violence, gender studies, industrial psychology, public administration, social psychology, sociology of work, social work, clinical and counseling psychology, business psychology, and organizational behavior.