Quell Training

Lone Worker Training

Lone Worker Training: Unacceptable Behaviour?

 

Our Lone Worker Training has yet again, gained momentum at all levels. From training people responsible on the actions required through to the staff on how they are affected by procedures and policies, but more importantly how they can feel more confident when faced with unacceptable behaviour.

So what is unacceptable behaviour and how do we gauge what is right from wrong? I have seen many charts over the years giving indications and signs on what to look for, however the best way I feel explains it is “when something makes you feel uncomfortable and want to leave a location when working alone”.

Even this week I have been told about a 26 year old male entering a house and an elderly lady was stood behind the door in her underwear only. Now, the cynics may cheer and laugh down the pub over a few beers, but the position that male was put in was unacceptable and it was the intentions of the elderly lady to cause him stress. In answer to your question of what happened next is that he used a plausible excuse and vacated the house soonest and reported it to his line manager to be recorded, for anyone else visiting or dealing with the individual.

Lone worker training is beneficial if it is aimed at the risk, however it should not be ignored and I know some people will argue it is a waste of time, but it is training, when delivered correctly, that can help lone workers and provide them with essential ideas of what to do if an incident like the above arises.

We deliver courses at all levels when it comes to lone worker training, and also provide help and guidance.

So if you have or are a lone worker drop us an email or visit our training content pages and see if we can be of help to you.

 

Aggressive Behaviour Training for Staff

At Quell we have been asked if Aggressive Behaviour training for staff is beneficial, or is it just something to put on the training records when they are audited for a contract or have to prove competency.

Aggressive Behaviour training is not just something which is thrown together at last moment, but is designed specifically for the attendees to not only recognise the signs of aggression, but also to have the confidence to deal with it effectively.

We constantly ask attendees during our training, are people’s expectations outweighing their needs; and the answer is usually “yes”. For example a maintenance person only needs to enter a building and fix a certain problem, however the tenant or resident expects them to either replace or improve on the problem, inclusive of at times expressing emotions over the orginisation the staff member works for and this can evoke frustrations, and in some instances escalating into aggression if their demands are not met or listened to …

Training in fields like aggression has always been around and delivered in various manners, but the only way proven to gain results is to place the attendees in a position during the training, to emotionally as best it can, e experience the aggression at face value and then learn instinctive moves to either defuse or exit safely without escalating.

We specialise in all forms of training relating to Workplace Violence and if you need more information on Aggressive Behaviour Training for staff, please get in touch via the details below and we will be more than happy to guide you through the different levels of training we supply.

Blog by Will Holland

Personal Safety Training Why?

Personal Safety Training Why?

Recently whilst carrying out training needs analysis within an organisation the above question was asked.  The person asking the question did not ask it in a callous way or indeed mean any intent of questioning the training to be provided, but it was asked in the manner of why has it got to a point where organisations feel that training has to be done in this subject?

What we have decided to do this week is run a series of blogs looking at different parts of the training and how best we can give out tips to help you understand if there is a risk to your personal safety.

I want to point out a few things to put everyone in the right frame of mind and understand the blogs.  Advice via blogs, articles and even you tube can never replace physical training as it highlights phrases, emotions and actions in the “what if” and inclusive the training needs to be either recognised or delivered by someone that has experience and references. I work with a vast number of organisations that bring us in after the training that they have selected has not worked, or the trainer has not understood the risks faced by the staff.

I have written on many occasions that you can throw a stone in any direction and you will hit someone who says they can deliver training in personal safety, but because of financial constraints or ease of selection some organisations employ these trainers without fully understanding the importance of the training.  This means that in the long term when something has happened to a member of staff and they try and find the trainer to give substance to the training provided, well all I will say is that it has not ended good for all involved.

Personal Safety Training is both essential and sensitive to many organisations, inclusive of being last on the long list of issues, however if a member of staff is injured and it was proven that a risk was identified and they did nothing about it, again it would be hard to not only keep their job but also just as hard to find a job when it is proven they did not provide a safe place to work.

For more information on Personal Safety Training, please contact us at Quell.

Conflict in the Workplace: Should I report if I am threatened after work?

Should I report if I am threatened after work?

Every now and then I get a question that can make me pause and question myself to think “did I hear that right”.

I was out and about recently training and doing a risk assessment on workplace violence for a particular company, when during this visit a delivery driver who was delivering parts and equipment to this company asked me what I was doing for the company as he had seen me walking around the site asking questions.  When I briefly explained to him what I was doing he asked if I would mind giving him some advice on the subject of him being threatened after work, so I asked him what exactly happened:

He told me that he was late delivering some equipment on a Friday afternoon because of disruption on the roads and when he eventually arrived the manager threw a fit about it. The driver said that he was also in a bad mood and probably didn’t reply that well to the situation and had thoughts of whether the job was worth this type of grief etc. but he made the delivery and moved on.  However when he was out on the Saturday night with his wife he bumped into the same manager who walked straight up to him and stated that if he was late again their would be consequences!

This type of incident in my experience is rare, but still not a position anyone would want to be in. So what did he do? Nothing as his wife was present and he didn’t want to make a scene. His question to me was what should he do now?  I said report it and speak to your line manager, or does he have a guideline or policy on what to do in the event of this happening, to which he replied (wait for it) this happens all the time and he has even been assaulted in work a few times.  At this point I questioned him if I had heard him correctly.

This situation may seem to be a bit extreme and thankfully it is not as common as you may now be thinking.  For me the main message that I tried to impress on him was the importance of reporting everything to his manager without delay.  I know I have no confirmation or proof to say if his organisation is looking out for their drivers and I hope this is the case and that they are not hiding behind the fact that they have a Bullying & Harassment Policy, or some other document that they can pay lip service to without actually taking on board real life incidents that their drivers are face.

The HSE definition is:

Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work

Let’s hope he will do something before he seriously gets hurt or worse.

For more information on Conflict in the Workplace, please get in touch with us on the details below.

Blog by Will Holland

 

Workplace Violence Training is a Problem?

Workplace violence training is a taboo subject that is on the increase and a number of business’s have a tendency to say ‘it never happens in our business or they just have not realised that it does happen’.  So let’s sit back and think about the wording of that statement, after all it does strike in the mind all sorts of actions and outcomes, because the workplace refers to the daily chores of the working life, and then you have that so called glamorous version that is used in the movies. However the violence we discuss is of a lower level, a small but rapidly growing concern for many people who manage staff in a variety of sectors.

Take a second now to think of everyone that works alongside you or you have a duty of care for, have you ever thought “what if” they were abused, threatened or assaulted. Then think to yourself how you would react and also what you could do to ensure that this sort of incident wouldn’t happen.

This subject that is workplace violence has been around for a long time, and it has affected people in the workforce from cleaners to bus drivers through to doctors and as many subjects do this does not discriminate between age, sex or status.  Even though you may not have been aware that this problem is growing every day and is gaining speed through the frustrations of daily life and pressures, if you at least have a grasp on what instils people to be aggressive then you will have a clear defined idea of how to deter these problems.

So let’s look at how to try and reduce the risk.  Firstly any company that sits down and designs a workplace violence policy that is easy to follow and also clearly directs all members of staff on what to do when either dealing with aggressive or potentially violent situations will immediately reduce the risk.  It has been proven that staff who do not understand what to do will undoubtedly do what they think is right, and sometimes that can result in an escalation of the situation to a point of no return instead of reduction. Therefore, having a policy not only gives staff confidence that management have taken responsibility for their safety, but it will also raise confidence and positive actions for any director or manager responsible.  Having a clear understanding of steps to follow after an assault has taken place is very important and a policy can support with steps such as, interviews, inspections and possibly fines.

It is easy for anyone to sit and copy and paste of various internet websites, but if it is not directed towards the staffs risks it is not worth the paper it is written on, so speaking to staff and going out on the shop floor or out to the site will enable you to identify the problems that they may face.

Do not get me wrong as it is not easy to sit down and write a policy on a subject that you may never have thought of before.  Questions such as, where do you start, will it be worthwhile in the long run, or is it yet another document that I never really need or will even my staff take any notice of it?  Answer is what if you didn’t do it and a member of staff is either assaulted or assaults a member of the public what then? Well, for starters you will be held accountable and uncomfortable questions will be asked, as to why you didn’t provide a safe system of work and why didn’t you carry out a risk assessment when it was clearly defined by staff that they were concerned or unhappy with certain aspects or areas. This subject has moved on drastically over the past few years and it is becoming more recognised and drawing more attention to it each day, by either lone workers being left without access to help or support to shop assistants being abused by aggressive and arrogant shoppers.

The process to protect your organisation, colleagues or staff is no hard task, but if you take the time to sit and review your organisation and then design a workable document or bring in a professional organisation like ours, it will enable you to identify the areas of concern that need to be addressed. Then implement a training programme that not only address’s everyone’s concerns, but is effective and productive and will therefore reduce the risk of workplace violence.

If you would like any further information on any of our workplace violence training please contact us below.

 

Am I vicariously liable?

This subject has dominated everyone within Quell this month, and I have no doubt it will for the foreseeable future because of the latest news headlines about Morrisons losing its case at the Supreme Court. Many of our existing clients and now some of or new clients have commented on this and how best to ensure that they are not affected and stay within the law.  It therefore should be noted that this is a serious subject and something that in my opinion cannot be explained in a short email, blog or handout as the different levels of risks are varied and diverse.

I have seen many people within the world of workplace violence release blogs and videos, and many are very good and do sell the importance of ensuring policies and training are implemented, however the root cause goes even deeper when you look at it, because it starts at the recruitment process and then progresses through into good procedures and its various moving parts, then through training and the different levels required within large organisations, past the reviews periods and then straight into support mechanisms, and don’t forget you have to have a plan to review and change if something happens.

Over the past few years we have been actively working with what I would class as the best legal teams and health and safety experts in the world of workplace violence, which has a large part to play in the subject of vicarious liability and it goes back to a saying that I heard once “If you know you are doing wrong, then you must be guilty” and “If you don’t know you’re doing wrong, your innocent until proven guilty”.

It does not matter if you are working in a large international airport or a small retail store, the subject of vicarious liability has now got the attention of a lot of people, and therefore if you are responsible for staff and are unsure if you have done enough or just would like to review your current policies, procedures or training then contact us to see if we can help.

Dealing with Assaults in the Workplace

In recent Months things have been very good for us at Quell as we have receiving more and more requests for our style of training, but with it comes more and more inquisitive questions about various subjects relating to workplace violence, therefore this proves to us that our subject is becoming more recognised.

The above title of this blog was asked during our training with a retail organisation on how to prevent aggressive behaviour from customers. What the group did first was isolate the incidents that they had and then took a step back to see what where the root cause of the aggressive action.  It was quickly deduced that some actions by people who are clearly frustrated can be projected as aggression and therefore it can be presumed when someone has grabbed them as an assault.

We could all go down the path of “Intent” on the different subjects of what type of an assault could it be, however we found in this case it was down to people’s frustration with wanting attention and therefore not intending to cause harm.

In the majority of sectors the subject of frustration is clearly escalating, but understanding the different levels of what a person goes through to carry out an act of aggression in many cases can be unclear at times.

We teach the four stages that a person will go through before committing to physical contact, and teaching staff this skill is another tool that helps prevent, deter and defuse the possibility of harm to staff.

If you face these concerns, then don’t hesitate contact us at Quell and see how we can help you.

 

Personal Safety Training is becoming more recognised

Personal Safety Training is becoming more recognised

It is clear to us at Quell that over the years the subject of Personal Safety Training has had a bad run, and this can be put down to the delivery or context it was used.

Personal Safety is a serious subject in many business sectors and at times has been frowned upon by a select few senior staff as a waste of money or an inconvenience to the business. However it is still required if a risk has clearly been identified by a member of staff.

Over the years many sectors have relied on electronic equipment to counter act the problems faced to staff, if they require that bit of added security when working alone or with possible aggressive people, but like all equipment it has its limitations and sometimes the best approach is to have staff readily prepared through effective training to face risks.

Within United Kingdom & Ireland we have had a tendency to not worry about the subject of workplace violence and therefore this takes us away from this subject of personal safety of ourselves or our staff, but it has been noted especially by us at Quell that more and more sectors are now acknowledging the problems faced by staff and therefore introducing personal safety training to help stop incidents from increasing.
I would encourage anyone from a staff member through to senior members of staff to look at the risks faced by themselves or others in relation to personal safety and then devise effective measures to prevent, deter and defuse or better still call us at Quell to see if we can help you.

For more information on personal safety training contact us on the details below.

Workplace Violence Training: Am I accountable as a Manager?

Workplace Violence Training: Am I accountable as a Manager?

This question is always asked on one of our workshops and it came to light after a member of staff reacted to a threat received from a member of the public, while carrying out their job role.

The simple answer is that it is everyone’s responsibility to take all reasonable steps to remain safe while carrying out their job role, and it is the responsibility of anyone that is responsible for someone both onsite or off site, that their safety is considered and all steps are taken to prevent, deter and defuse possible risks of workplace violence.

Quell have a vast amount of people who follow our blogs and send us emails directly for a bit of advice or guidance on various subjects, but the one at the top of the list is always “who is responsible” if an incident happens in relation to threats or assaults.

Answer:  is always very simple, yet it still is the hardest one to take for some people; if you are responsible for anyone and you or they have identified a risk from abuse, threats and assaults you must take reasonable steps to prevent an incident.

The top 2 subjects you should cover are as follows:

  1. A policy that highlights what to do if you are a lone worker or front line member of staff, and this has to be specific towards the role and ensure it meets all relevant risks (not a cut & paste off the internet); and
  2. Training is paramount, but do not fall into the trap of cheaper is better as if an incident happens the creditability and standards or the training person/organisation will be brought into light, and if it does not meet or deliver what it says it should you will be held accountable.

Finally don’t take my word for it, take a look at case studies supplied by HSE & HSENI or don’t do what most people do and take that risk, because its only your career and if civil action is taken against you it is only your home, car and savings it might effect.

If you need any other information on our Workplace Violence Training please contact us on the details below.

 

Managing Lone Workers

Managing Lone Workers

Heading up a team brings a range of responsibilities including a duty to ensure the well being and safety of your staff.

So if you would like to know more then read what we have found from our clients and how to approach this subject.

Lone workers often find themselves in vulnerable situations due to the nature of their work and should they become the victim of an incident of abuse or violence you’ll find that it is you as a Manager who will be in the spotlight answering a lot of potentially uncomfortable questions.

Do you know what your legal obligations are?  Have you done enough to ensure your staff are safe at work?  Would you know what to do should something serious happen to a member of your team?

Quell have designed a half day and full day workshops specifically designed for those who manage lone workers which will address these issues and help prepare you to effectively manage an incident of workplace violence involving a member of your staff.

The workshops will clearly and succinctly explain Health and Safety legislation which is pertinent to managers and ensure that delegates are aware of their legal duties and the policies they should have in place.  It will equip you with the skills you need to identify and assess risk.  We will also look at measures you can take to reduce risks to lone working staff and how you as a manager can effectively support staff following an incident of work related violence.  Case studies will further re-enforce best practice.

If you feel that you would like more information on Managing Lone Workers, then contact us at Quell on the details below.