Fostering mental resilience in the face of workplace violence

Every year, about two million U.S. employees experience workplace violence. 

While OSHA recognizes workplace violence as a significant hazard, there’s still no specific federal standard that provides guidance for preventing it. However, since employers can be held responsible for failing to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards under the General Duty Clause, it’s a topic that cannot be ignored. 

Employers have a responsibility to create safe workplaces and help their employees effectively respond to and recover from workplace violence. 

The impact of workplace violence

Workplace violence is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or other threatening behavior that happens at work. It can involve employees, clients, customers, visitors or even a person with no affiliation to the workplace. Victims can experience severe impacts like physical injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, emotional withdrawal and more. 

Many employers and people assume workplace violence won’t happen to them. While healthcare, education and service employees are at a higher risk, the reality is that workplace violence can happen to anyone. This false sense of security is why many employers still lack prevention plans, leaving their employees vulnerable and unprepared if an incident were to occur.

Employers today must ask themselves a critical question: If asked in a deposition what was done to prevent a fateful workplace violence incident, how would they respond? Not having a clear answer or defined prevention plan to share can have serious legal and ethical implications. 

The role of mental resilience

While a strong workplace violence prevention plan can help reduce the impact of workplace violence, it’s only one part of the equation. Employers should also focus on fostering mental resilience, which is the ability to quickly adapt and successfully recover in times of crisis.

In the context of workplace violence, mentally resilient employees are more likely to make safe decisions that protect themselves and others and maintain their well-being, productivity and morale in the aftermath of an incident. In contrast, employees who are not mentally resilient may panic and make risky or unsafe decisions in an effort to only protect themselves. They’re also more likely to exhibit long-term stress, low morale and increased absenteeism after an incident.

Employers can foster mental resilience in the face of workplace violence by conducting regular training and drills, promoting strong communication, investing in safety technology and incentivizing good safety behaviors. 

Conduct regular training and drills

In times of crisis, people often freeze or flee without a plan. One way to help employees combat this instinct is by conducting regular workplace violence response training and drills. 

While tabletop training exercises can help employees learn about safe responses and different recovery resources available after an incident, holding practice drills is the most effective way to help them prepare. When employees regularly participate in drills and practice in a real-world setting, they build muscle memory around their response and eventually turn it into a habit. This makes them less likely to hesitate during a real incident, helping them respond quickly with clarity and confidence. 

If possible, employers can also partner with local law enforcement or tactical response teams for help with training and drills. They can walk employees through response plans, teach them about potential hazards and what to expect when police arrive, and even join practice drills for added realism. When employees are prepared for a workplace violence incident, they’re able to make more informed choices to protect themselves and others and recover successfully in the aftermath.  

Promote strong communication

Violence can be a difficult topic to discuss, but avoiding the conversation only increases its risk. Openly acknowledging the potential for workplace violence at all levels and creating an environment where employees feel comfortable talking about it can help foster a culture of trust, accountability and safety.    

Cultivating this kind of culture starts at the top. When leaders clearly communicate that harassment, bullying and violence won’t be tolerated – and back it up with action – it sets the tone for the rest of the organization. It also signals to employees that any concerns will be taken seriously, making them more likely to speak up when something doesn’t feel right. 

To promote open, honest conversations around workplace violence, employees need to know who exactly they can talk to and that anything they share will be kept confidential. They should also understand that any court-issued protection or restraining orders must reported so their employer can help keep them safe. Whether it’s a program administrator or someone in HR, having a designated contact for workplace violence concerns helps employees feel more comfortable speaking up and ensures that all reports are handled with priority, care and consistency. 

Strong communication is important day-to-day, but it’s especially crucial during an incident. Employers should have a reliable incident communication system in place and make sure they always have the most up-to-date contact information for their employees and their emergency contacts. This ensures that when an incident occurs, employers have a way to quickly update their employees, giving them the clarity and confidence needed to respond safely.   

Invest in safety technology  

When a workplace has the right tools to detect and alert to violence, there’s less confusion when an incident occurs, helping employees make more informed decisions when responding.  

This starts with ensuring that existing safety technology is fully functional. For example, if an employer uses an incident communication system, they should conduct regular tests and train employees on how to use it. Physical technology – like alarms, access control systems and cameras – should not only be routinely tested but protected from cyber threats to ensure they’ll work in the moments they’re needed most. In addition to being operational and secure, camera systems should also be actively monitored as they can detect suspicious behavior and help prevent violence before it starts.  

New safety innovations are always emerging. From wearable panic buttons to AI-powered weapons detection, employers should stay informed and strategically fortify their safety technology as threats evolve. By investing in the right tools, employers can empower their employees to make safer decisions during workplace violence incidents. 

Incentivize good safety behaviors 

Recognizing and rewarding good safety behaviors can be a powerful way to strengthen the culture around workplace violence prevention. Rewards don’t have to be big – simple incentives can go a long way. For example, when someone speaks up about a potential safety concern or volunteers for a workplace violence prevention task force, awarding them a gift card can reinforce their good behavior and inspire others to do the same. 

Employers might consider incentivizing good safety on a case-by-case basis or through an ongoing reward program where employees receive tokens for modeling certain behaviors, like watching out for the safety of others. Once employees collect a certain number of tokens, they can redeem them for an item of choice. When employees are rewarded for good workplace safety practices, they’re more likely to keep replicating that behavior and strengthening their organization’s resilience.  

Building safer workplaces

Every employee deserves to return home after work safe and unharmed. While workplace violence can happen anywhere, employers can proactively reduce its impact by fostering mental resilience across their organization. When employees are mentally prepared to navigate workplace violence, they don’t just feel safer on the job – they’re more likely to effectively respond and quickly recover if an incident occurs. 

Mental resilience also brings broader benefits to the workplace, like higher job satisfaction, stronger team bonds and even lower insurance rates for employers. This makes fostering mental resilience not just a way to reduce the risk and impact of workplace violence but a way to create a stronger, healthier and more connected organization. 

At Sedgwick, our risk services teams help establish, implement and maintain strong workplace violence prevention plans, extend jurisdictional expertise and offer advanced workplace violence record-keeping technology. We guide our clients toward compliance while helping them reduce risks and control costs. To learn more about our workplace safety and ergonomic services, click here.