Workplace violence hurts a lot of people. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, about 2 million Americans are victims of non-fatal violence in the workplace; it is also the cause of around 1,000 homicides per year in the U.S. It is a major problem that has serious, lasting consequences for employees, their families and the organizations they work for.
This issue, that impacts so many workers in industries like security as well as healthcare, can be complex and not always as simple as physical violence, which is still a major factor but not the only one to consider. The comprehensive nature of workplace violence is addressed in the OSHA’s definition that says, “Workplace violence is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide.”