EAP Training: Many Pieces to Preventing Workplace Violence

Reducing risk of workplace violence is not just about conducting employee assistance program training on the signs and symptoms of an employee likely to shoot up the place. I have counted over a dozen different training topics and management-employee activities that EAPs should be considering and together collectively reduce workplace violence risk dramatically. I am not saying it is useless information to know what to do when an active shooter is loose in your building and heading your way. However, the chances of needing this sort of training is pretty close to extremely low. What's more important is EAP training and educating employees in the broad array of issues like prevention behaviors, awareness, and education topics that together lead to reduced risk of workplace violence. This is how to make your employee assistance program more valuable. Here is one such topic: Training and educating employees in how to get along with their supervisors and understand the subordinate relationship to a supervisor. How can this reduce workplace violence? Did you know that the Bureau of Labor Statistics says 15% of homicide victims at work are supervisory/management staff. This makes leadership a hazardous job. Here a tip sheet that can help you help employees to avoid problematic relationship with the supervisorhttp:/handoutsplus.com

Are You Giving Enough Respect to Respect Training?

If you're conducting workplace violence prevention training, be sure to not overlook subjects tangential to this topic that may be more critical in preventing a workplace violence incident than learning about the signs and symptoms of an employee prone to act violently. You know, the employee who may also have a long history of being harassed, disrespected, involved in conflicts, and who has no appropriate assertiveness skills to confront a supervisors who has bullied him or her. Are you catching my drift?

Too many training programs talk about how to spot the employee who might turn into a shooter, signs and symptoms of troubling behaviors in the workplace, and how to find the nearest exit if the bullets start flying. But preventing workplace violence is much more complex than these packages of the same old information.

There are several critical areas that need attention. Each of the following play critical roles in educating employees and supervisors in prevention of workplace violence -- conflict resolution between coworkers, respectful workplace training in general, training on the supervisor's role in supporting a respectful workplace, and training on avoiding workplace harassment and many behaviors that fall within the scope of this topic.

Then of course, the direct education and awareness about preventing workplace violence should also be include. Consider whether any of the following workplace wellness education products can assist you above.

You know what, I am going to take it one step furth and add Improving Assertiveness Skills. If you are a psychotherapist or other clinical type, you know that assertiveness is not just about asking for the last piece of pie on the table. It's about living proactively.

When one's rights are violated, stepping up to the plate to say "no" and "stop that" and if needed, heading for HR to get help could make the difference between intervention early and SWAT intervention later.

Do you need to deliver all this material at once? Of course not. And you shouldn't. Instead come back over the course of a year an sell the workplace violence prevention message by discussing these topics in their proper context. Employees will get the message, and of course the workplace tragedy you prevent will never be known. Good thing, Still take the credit. You deserve it.

Workplace Violence Video

I finished Video #3 in the Workplace Media Library 2010 series. This module is entitled Preventing Workplace Violence. It runs 12 minutes and I think it covers all of the bases.

While writing this program for EAP web sites and other workplace services, I took advantage of my experience as a victim of bullying when I was working for the CIA in 1978. (I eventually took a position in the CIA's occupational alcoholism program, but just prior, had a job in the Office of Logistics in Langley, VA doing various types of unclassified building work.)

I was able to stop the bullying permanently in a very satisfying manner. I zapped the perpetrator one day when he was arrested by a Federal police office for throwing lighted matches over the top of his head in an effort to hit me with them while I was walking down a hallway following behind. All for no reason. No reason at all. Just "fun". I was the chosen one--this guy's toy.

Luckily, it was all spotted by a Federal Police Officer guarding the hallway. She approached me and asked if I wanted to file a report. "Absolutely", I said. After numerous other events, it was the perfect opportunity.

The rest is a history of no more stress from this jerk, but the point of this story is that horseplay is illegal in Federal office buildings, and no matter where it is, it often turns violent. It frequently has victims, causes property damage, the clear example should encourage you to mentioned it in your training.

I have never seen horseplay mentioned in violence prevention materials, but this one does include it in one strong slide.

You will see other original content in this violence in the workplace prevention Power Point video. I also encourage employees to attend CISD debriefings offered by the organization after a violent incident, tips on avoiding assault, what the organization's EAP can do, how employees should be "change-agents" in promoting respect and avoid provoking a violent response from an employee who may not react rationally from picked on and bullied.

You can see the Preventing Violence at Work video here. Also, you may be interested in the Workplace Video Web Content Subscription as well. The program is designed to drive the cost down for these new products.