Reasons for Workplace Violence

Workplace violence can come in the form of either physical, verbal, or emotional violence toward another in the office. Any type of violence is completely unacceptable in this environment and should be dealt with by higher-ups immediately to avoid further escalation. As a manager or business owner, if you identify the common causes of workplace violence you may be able to prevent any problems in the future.

Unhappy with Employer or Co-Workers

There have been a number of high-profile cases of workplace violence due to an employee's dissatisfaction with his bosses or co-workers. This violence stems from disagreements regarding workplace activities, duties, a high-pressure work environment, negative interactions with co-workers, and frustration with workload or hours. Consider the high-profile postal worker killings of the 90s and 2000s. In many cases, this type of on-the-job violence stems from mental illness, depression, or other personal issues that spill over into the workplace. Regular performance reviews and counseling for troubled workers could help to reduce workplace violence due to these issues.

Personal Relationships

Some workplace violence occurs when co-workers develop romantic relationships. A scorned lover may find it difficult to come to work each day to face the person who has broken his heart. The pressure could cause that person to take violent actions toward that co-worker. It is important for a supervisor to keep her "ear to the pavement" and address a potentially dangerous workplace relationship between her employees by talking to human resources and meeting with the two participants.

Poor Background Checking

In many cases, workplace violence occurs because the employer did not take appropriate steps to check the background of an applicant before hiring. If a worker with a violent criminal background does not provide full information about his past and the employer does not pay for a full background check from the state (or other states) that employer is leaving all of his workers and customers vulnerable to a violent incident. Thus, it is important to pay for a full (preferablly national) background check on each employee.