What is Workplace Violence?

Workplace violence is any type of physical or verbal aggression in a workplace setting. It can take many forms, including threats, physical assaults, harassment, and even homicide. Workplace violence can be committed by co-workers, managers, customers, or anyone else who enters the workplace. Many factors can contribute to workplace violence, including job stress, conflicts between employees, a lack of training or policies to prevent violence, and even outside factors such as domestic violence spilling over into the workplace. Employers are responsible for providing a safe work environment and taking steps to prevent and respond to workplace violence.

Examples of workplace violence can include physical assaults, verbal threats or abuse, sexual harassment or assault, bullying, stalking, and more. It can be disruptive to the workplace, impacting employee morale and productivity, and leading to serious physical and emotional harm. Workplace violence can be categorized into four different types:

• Criminal intent: Violence committed by individuals who have no legitimate relationship with the business or its employees, such as robbery or other criminal acts.
• Customer/client: Violence committed by customers or clients, such as physical assaults, harassment, or verbal abuse.
• Co-worker: Violence committed by a current or former employee, such as physical assaults, harassment, or threats.
• Personal relationship: Violence committed by someone who has a personal relationship with an employee, such as domestic violence spills over into the workplace.