Warning signs of workplace violence include changes in behavior, temperament, and personal hygiene, as well as workplace bullying and physical aggression. It’s important to take action before the situation escalates and to address underlying personal issues.
While people are sometimes surprised when workplace violence breaks out, the fact is that there are often a number of warning signs that some type of physical or emotional disturbance is afoot. Often, the signs are subtle at first and may seem isolated. However, as the situation worsens, the signs will become more apparent and will need to be addressed quickly to avoid an outbreak of workplace violence.
One of the first signs that someone is on the road to creating workplace violence is a noticeable change in behavior and temperament. Someone who is normally courteous and looks people in the eye during conversations begins to withdraw, speaks only when spoken to, and offers only short answers when asked a direct question. The individual also rarely ever looks directly at others during a conversation.
As part of the change in temperament, the individual may begin to cry for no reason, or sulk at some mild imagining. Employees who were once on time and never missed a day of work start running late or falling ill several times over the course of a month. He may start to be less careful with personal hygiene, although this may be such a gradual transformation that it takes coworkers a while to notice the difference.
Over time, the potential perpetrator of workplace violence can lead to workplace bullying. At first, this type of workplace intimidation can be presented as a kind of dark humor. However, as office bullying increases, the smiley face of humor is discarded and the verbal abuse becomes more acute and frequent. This bully in training gradually becomes less sensitive to the feelings of anyone else, although he can be easily hurt by any remark he interprets as critical.
As the potential for workplace violence increases, the workplace bully may begin to focus on a select few in the office. Those unfortunate few receive more criticism and are subject to more insults than anyone else. The bully begins to approach when he presses insults or criticisms, invading the personal space of his colleagues. Eventually, verbal blows can be increased by pushing on the shoulder or hitting the victim in the chest. The bully may also throw notepads or other small office equipment while verbally attacking a co-worker.
Ideally, action is taken before the situation reaches this level. If not, it needs to be done immediately once the bully starts getting stronger and incorporates physical actions into workplace violence. Attempting to appease or calm the bully down isn’t likely to make a difference. Instead, HR managers and staff should be alerted to what is happening before workplace violence progresses to the next and much more serious step.
It’s important to note that someone can become violent in the workplace due to a number of factors. Workplace stress, as well as personal issues such as relationship or money problems, can pave the way for someone who normally becomes a team player to become increasingly violent. By identifying the warning signs early, you can stop the process before anyone is hurt and get the employee the emotional counseling he needs to regain control and be a valuable employee again.
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