| Step #1: Assemble a Crisis Management Team ... | | | | leaving, actual supervisor, title, responsibilities, |
| including: | | | | dates, and issues identified in application/resume |
| - Senior Management ... Human Resources | | | | review. Use behavioral interview questions, e.g., |
| - Security Personnel ... Local Law Enforcement | | | | Give an example of how you performed under |
| - Medical Personnel ... Employee Assistance | | | | stress. |
| Program | | | | - Effective screening of contract, temporary and |
| - Public Relations ... Violence Assessment Experts | | | | part-time workers. |
| - Legal Advisors ... Background Investigators | | | | Step #6: Standardize Discipline & Termination |
| Step #2: Create a Crisis Management Plan | | | | Procedures |
| The plan should address: team members and roles | | | | Discipline and termination should always preserve |
| ... policy ... communication, logistics, and recovery | | | | the involved employees' dignity. These should be |
| plans ... and a public relations plan. Include detailed | | | | handled or controlled by an objective third party |
| procedures -- supported by training and rehearsal | | | | such as HR. |
| -- specifying who does what and when. For | | | | Include the tactful and safe handling of high-risk |
| example: | | | | employees and situations. Whenever there is the |
| - How to restrain the perpetrator (and when to | | | | slightest concern about a terminated employee |
| do so) | | | | becoming volatile: |
| - Dealing with the perpetrator after the incident | | | | - Have a second person present at the meeting. |
| - How to contain the incident ... and evacuation | | | | When terminating a male employee, at least one |
| protocols | | | | of the two people present should be male |
| - Notification of security staff and/or police | | | | (preferably with a strong physical presence). |
| - Summoning of medical staff | | | | - Conduct the meeting near an exit and away |
| - Communications -- during the incident and | | | | from other employees. |
| afterwards | | | | - Do not allow the employee to return to the |
| - Providing EAP support | | | | work area, at least without a strong escort. |
| Step #3: Establish a Violence-Protection Policy | | | | - Discourage/prohibit employee from returning to |
| - Clearly stating the organization's stand on violent, | | | | any of your work sites |
| disruptive and threatening behavior, as well as | | | | When terminating a contract employee, confirm |
| weapons in the workplace. | | | | that the contract agency has effectively |
| - Specifying an incident and warning sign reporting | | | | communicated termination. Otherwise, assume full |
| process. [See Step 7.] | | | | responsibility for doing so, safely. |
| - Posted at entrances, employment office and | | | | Step #7: Recognize Signs of Trouble ... and Ensure |
| break areas ... included in the Employee Handbook | | | | They Are Reported |
| ... and verbally communicated during new | | | | Constantly stay on the alert for the warning signs |
| employee orientation, in department meetings and | | | | and triggering events. Establish and communicate |
| in training sessions. | | | | reporting and tracking processes: |
| - Consistently enforced. | | | | - For physical violence, verbal abuse, emotional |
| Step #4: Train Managers and Employees | | | | outbursts, threats, strange behavior and |
| Employees training should cover: | | | | disrespect ... not just physical accidents, injuries |
| - Workplace violence awareness | | | | and illnesses. |
| - The warning signs of a dangerous employee | | | | - Offering alternative channels (other than chain of |
| customer and the triggering events | | | | command) for reporting. For example, |
| - Their duty to report all incidents and warning | | | | ombudsman-type managers (representing as |
| signs, not just overt violence and threats | | | | much diversity as possible and perceived by most |
| - How to de-escalate threatening situations | | | | employees as approachable) and/or an internal or |
| - How to protect themselves and coworkers | | | | external hotline, with confidentiality safeguards. |
| when threatened | | | | Step #8: Investigate All Threats, Complaints and |
| - Their responsibility to treat all people with | | | | Red Flags |
| respect and dignity | | | | Take all specific threats seriously ... and find out |
| Managers training should cover all of the above, | | | | more about vague threats. Pull together your |
| plus: | | | | Crisis Management Team to investigate and |
| - Proper discipline and terminations | | | | interview: |
| - Their role in response and in crisis management | | | | - Talk with the potential victim/complainant as |
| - How to detect the behavioral profile during | | | | soon as possible after the danger has been |
| interviews and reference checks | | | | identified or after an incident has occurred. |
| Step #5: Use Proper Employee-Selection | | | | - Document what both you and the potential |
| Techniques | | | | actual victim say. [It may be needed for litigation.] |
| A hiring process -- which screens out the | | | | - Document the threat itself and get statements |
| potentially violent or unstable -- is an organization's | | | | from others who have heard or observed the |
| first line of defense. This should include: | | | | perpetrator. |
| - Control by an objective and consistent third | | | | - Meet with the threatener or perpetrator, take |
| party such as HR. | | | | his statement, confront with other statements |
| - Review of applications and resumes for | | | | taken, document |
| behavioral problems, not just skills. For example, | | | | Step #9: Take Appropriate Action |
| gaps in employment/education history, | | | | - Communicate with the complainant/victim |
| job-hopping, etc. ... and anything suspicious or | | | | results of investigation and provide support. Offer |
| inconsistent. | | | | the potential victim the opportunity for |
| - Broad background checks (not just criminal | | | | professional counseling and/or security protection. |
| record) for all jobs. | | | | Ask the potential victim what s/he needs from |
| - Contacting prior employers (i.e., actual | | | | you to increase his/her level of comfort/safety. |
| supervisors) for all jobs -- probing character | | | | - Meet with the threatener or perpetrator again |
| behavior-related issues, not just dates of | | | | and apply the following as appropriate: Training, |
| employment or skills. | | | | coaching, counseling, EAP-referral, disciplinary |
| - Drug and validated psychological testing. | | | | action, termination, arrest. |
| - An in-depth interview of all candidates by HR | | | | - If appropriate, notify authorities in the |
| (looking for behavioral problems) prior to job | | | | community. |
| offer. Include careful probing of: reason for | | | | |