One of the contemporary workplace violence in USA was Hesston shooting in Feb 2016, in an Excel Industries Building.
QUESTIONS: Describe the insights you would have for the leaders of this company.
READINGS
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Security resources under the umbrella of criminal behavior and activity. If the actions prove to be terr orism, the terrorism label can be applied later.” With Loughner, Holmes and Page, their actions clearly earned the terr orism label because their actions w ere motivated by a political or religious ideology. In FBI parlance, terr orism is: “ The unlawful use of for ce or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.” With these individuals, it was an ideology , though an ideology of their own making. In the aftermath of these shootings, more private organizations are incorporating the modern antiterrorism tactics PHI has developed over the past decade into their o verall security posture. For example, P HI has been training security personnel at M etLife Stadium – the former M eadowlands – as well as at theme par ks, hospitals and the hotel industry. PHI is also branching out into places of worship and religious institutions as well. “In addition to law enfor cement professionals, focusing on mitigating risk fr om any criminal behavior makes it easier to motivate frontline workers; concession stand servers, vendors and ticket takers will be more tuned in to spotting anomalies if they kno w their observational skills will help them spot tr ouble ranging from commonplace disorderly conduct to a fullblown a terrorist attack,” says McGhee. “As an aside, a lot of the focus at spor ts venues is on detecting contraband liquor . That’s fine, but w e can’t be so focused on illegal booze that we miss the guy with the pistol in his waistband,” he adds. With frontline workers, the DHS inspired phrase “If you see something, say something” has to be mor e than a catchphrase. It has to be par t of the corporate culture. Employees – and patr ons as well – not only have to be encouraged to report. Safeguarding Employees from Workplace Violence Chances are that everybody, at some point in their career, will witness some form of workplace violence, as the term is defined by The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Whether the violence consists of offensive language and threatening body language or physical attacks, employees and employers alike have to be prepared for these unfortunate events. Prevention and Training The best hope for reducing workplace violence is to learn to see the warning signs and understand that anybody can be a victim. Security officers should be trained on identifying the physical indicators of someone with violent potential. Human Resources departments have to keep up to speed on how to give preemployment screenings in attempts to identify applicants that seemed poised towards this tendency. In addition to such measures, all employees should be trained to look for universal signals, as prescribed by NIOSH, which might be a prelude to violence: • body language • verbal expression of anger • signs of drug use • signs of psychological trauma Not only is training to recognize the signs of potential violence vital to environmental health, but NIOSH strongly recommends employees should also be trained on how to respond when confronted with potential violence: • stay calm • don't match threats • don't give orders • acknowledge the person's feelings Preparing the Workplace Preparing employees for the potentials of workplace violence should only be part of an employer's strategy. Being ready to handle an incident of physical violence is also a necessary step. First of all, healthcare facilities should make sure an adequate security and surveillance system is installed. Preventative measures such as card access systems and metal detectors help ensure that employees or visitors can't bring in weapons or go anywhere that could be detrimental to patient care. A software system that permits and restricts access quickly and efficiently will aid in situations where evasive maneuvers are needed or when ex-employees must have privileges quickly revoked. Depending on the size and services of the facility, environmental design features that include designated areas such waiting rooms and visitor centers can help segment traffic in high-stress situations. Other tips include making sure the openings are working properly and up to code, fixing those that aren't, and ensuring the workspace is free of objects that could be used as weapons. Coping Unfortunately, despite all the planning, designing, training and communication, workplace violence can still errupt. If and when the situation occurs, employees must learn how to cope. Reporting and documenting the incident is a necessary first step, but having the ability to offer grief counseling and group sessions can go a long way in helping them recover from the incident and remain happy, productive team members, wanting a longterm future with their employer. Having these plans implemented in advance also helps employees recover because they'll already know that there is a support system they can use. Planning the Stages No organization can fully prevent workplace violence from happening. However, understanding the stages of human interaction that occur during an attack will better prepare workplaces during the event as well as its aftermath. With this knowledge in hand, workplaces have better chances of not allowing such incidents to compromise their integrity.