Multiple warning signs indicate physical or emotional disorders that can lead to workplace violence. Changes in behavior, temperament, and bullying can escalate to physical actions. Early identification and intervention are crucial to prevent violence and provide emotional counseling for the employee.
While people are sometimes surprised when workplace violence erupts, the fact is that there are often multiple warning signs indicating some type of physical or emotional disorder. The signs are usually subtle at first and may seem isolated. However, as the situation worsens, the signs become more obvious and must be dealt with quickly in order to avoid an outbreak of violence in the workplace.
One of the first signs that someone is on the path to creating violence in the workplace is a noticeable change in behavior and temperament. Someone who is normally polite and looks people in the eye during conversations starts to pull away, speaks only when spoken to, and only offers short answers when asked a direct question. The individual also rarely if ever looks directly at others during a conversation.
As part of the change in temperament, the individual may start crying for no reason, or sulk at slight slights. Employees who were once punctual and never missed a day of work begin to be late or call multiple times during a month. He or she may start to be less careful about personal hygiene, although this may be such a gradual transformation that it takes co-workers a while to notice the difference.
Over time, the would-be perpetrator of workplace violence can lead to workplace bullying. At first, this type of workplace bullying can be presented as a kind of dark humor. However, as office bullying increases, the veneer of humor is shed and verbal abuse becomes more acute and frequent. This office bully-in-training gradually becomes less sensitive to other people’s feelings, although he can be easily hurt by any comment he interprets as criticism.
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 name-calling than anyone else. The abuser begins to move closer when he hurls insults or criticisms, invading his co-workers’ personal space. Eventually, verbal spanking can be augmented by pressing a shoulder or poking the victim in the chest. The abuser 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, this should be done immediately when the bully starts to get louder and incorporate physical actions into workplace violence. Trying to placate or calm the bully is unlikely to make any difference. Instead, managers and human resource personnel must be made aware of what is happening before workplace violence progresses to the next, much more serious step.
It is important to note that someone can become violent in the workplace due to many factors. Workplace stress, as well as personal issues such as relationship or money issues, can pave the way for someone who is normally part of the team to become increasingly violent. By identifying the warning signs early on, you can stop the process before anyone gets hurt and get the employee the emotional counseling they need to regain control and be a valued employee once more.
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