Levels of Violence and Response
Potential or actual violent situations among employees usually escalate if not defused.
Violence and the warning signs that typically occur can usually be identified at three levels.
It should be noted that anyone or combination of warning signs at the three levels may be indicative of a potentially violent situation. The following is an attempt to delineate warning signs and the appropriate response. There is no fail-safe way of presenting this information to employees. Employees will have to make a judgment call as to the appropriate action to take by discerning and evaluating the given situation.
Level-One (Early Warning Signs)
The person is:
- intimidating/bullying;
- discourteous/disrespectful;
- uncooperative; and/or
- verbally abusive.
Response When Early Warning Signs Occur at Level One
- Observe the behavior in question.
- Report concerns to your supervisor to seek help in assessing/responding to the situation. If the offending employee is your immediate supervisor, notify the next level of supervision. If the offending person is not an employee, your supervisor is still the appropriate individual to notify.
- Document the observed behavior in question.
- Schedule private time and place.
- Coordinate any necessary union participation.
- Get straight to the point.
- Ask the employee for his or her input.
- Ask the employee what should be done about the behavior.
- Ask how you can help.
- Identify the performance and/or conduct problems that are of concern.
- Identify the steps you would like to see to correct problems.
- Set limits on what is acceptable behavior and performance.
- Establish time frames to make changes and subsequent consequences for failing to correct behavior and/or performance.
- Department's policies.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
3-3. Who should you notify if the offending person in a violent incident is not an employee?
You forgot to answer the question!