Workplace Violence Prevention
Personal conduct can help minimize violence. By following the suggestions below in your daily interactions with people you may be able to de-escalate potentially violent situations. If at any time a person's behavior starts to escalate beyond your comfort zone, disengage.
DO
- Project calmness: move and speak slowly, quietly and confidently.
- Be an empathetic listener. Encourage the person to talk. Listen patiently.
- Focus your attention on the other person to let them know you are interested in what they have to say.
- Maintain a relaxed yet attentive posture and position yourself at a right angle rather than directly in front of the person.
- Acknowledge the person's feelings. Indicate that you can see that he or she is upset.
- Ask for small specific favors such as asking the person to move to a quieter area.
- Establish ground rules if unreasonable behavior exists. Calmly describe the consequences of any violent behavior.
- Use delay tactics, which will give the person time to calm down. For example, offer a drink of water in a plastic cup (never offer a glass container or hot beverage).
- Ask uninvolved parties to leave the area to summon help if this can be done safely. Use a prearranged code word to alert your supervisor or co-worker to call Security.
- Be reassuring and point out choices. Break big problems into smaller more manageable problems.
- Accept criticism in a positive way. When a complaint might be true, use statements like "You're probably right" or "It was my fault". If the criticism seems unwarranted, ask clarifying questions.
- Ask for his/her recommendations. Repeat back what you feel he/she is requesting of you.
- Arrange yourself so your access to an exit is not blocked.
- Above all, trust your instincts. If the situation deteriorates to a level where your safety is in jeopardy, escape at the first opportunity and notify Security & Public Safety at x7777.
DO NOT
- Use styles of communication, which generate hostility such as apathy, brush off, coldness, condescension, going strictly by the rules or giving the run-around.
- Reject all of a person’s demands from the start.
- Pose in challenging stances such as standing directly opposite someone, hands on hips or crossing your arms.
- Make any physical contact, finger-point or have long periods of fixed eye contact.
- Make sudden movements that can be seen as threatening. Notice the tone, volume and rate of your speech.
- Challenge, threaten, or dare the individual. Never belittle the person making him/her feel foolish.
- Criticize or act impatiently toward the agitated individual.
- Attempt to bargain with a threatening individual.
- Try to make the situation seem less serious than it is.
- Make false statements or promises you cannot keep.
- Try to impart a lot of technical or complicated information when emotions are high.
- Take sides or agree with distortions.
- Invade the individual's personal space. Make sure there is a space of 3' to 6' between you and the person.
|
|
Also in Workplace Violence:
|
|
