What is a Workplace Violence Policy?
There has been a lot of media focus on the subject of Workplace Violence Policies recently but how many of us actually know what this type of policy is for?
This is a question that John Morris, Senior Trainer at Quell is happy to shed some light on:
‘Clearly the most important issue is that this type of policy will protect those at work from abuse, threats and assaults’ explains John. ‘ As a document, it can also raise awareness of behaviour and situations which are unacceptable in the workplace’.
John goes on to point out that whilst the primary aim of any policy would be to protect the staff it should also protect the wider public and indeed the company itself.
The policy should be recognition that abuse and violence will not be tolerated at all in the workplace from anybody – be it the public, the staff or management.
Any workplace violence policy should be a “live and working” document that must change with the situation of the workplace or the needs of the staff or public. It should be kept relevant and sufficient for the people that it is supposed to be protecting and not left stagnant over time.
The document should be used as a tool to support any staff members that have suffered workplace violence or indeed are affected by workplace violence that has occurred around them.
Only with a full updated and bespoke policy will staff have total confidence in the support that is required to do their job. They can feel reassured by the knowledge that they can report issues of workplace violence and it will be taken seriously and that should they find themselves facing an incident there is a framework which can advise and guide them step by step.