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720 Preventing Workplace Violence
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Develop a Violence Prevention Policy

Comprehensive Violence Prevention Policy Statement

A policy is a predetermined guide established to provide direction in decision making.

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Establish written general and specific violence prevention policies.

It reflects top management goals and objectives related to a given business function within the company. An effective policy is both educational and directive. It informs everyone about expected behaviors and standards and why they are important. It also assigns responsibility to perform certain duties or oversee people and programs.

Advantages of Written Policies

Once a violence prevention program is ready to be implemented, companies must decide whether to issue a written policy statement.

Company programs can also be implemented without a written policy statement. In these companies, employees are often given information about the program (especially whom to call) in training sessions, on posters, in newsletter articles, or by other similar methods. Note: Companies have an inherent right to take action against employees who engage in disruptive or threatening behavior whether or not they have issued a written policy statement.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

2-1. Companies have a right to take action against employees who _____ whether or not they have issued a written policy statement.