HR ESSENTIALS: Employee Safety In & Out of the Office

By Bizclik Editor
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Part Three in Our HR ESSENTIALS Series

 

Workplace violence is a serious issue in Australia as well as other countries across the world.

And, if left unresolved, workplace threats like bullying and aggression can lead to career and company-ending situations. Because of the ramifications, it's crucial that employees Down Under are absolutely safe in and out of the office.

So, with workplace wellbeing in mind, here are just a few ways to ensure your employees are safe from workplace violence >>>

Aussie Workplace Violence Statistics

In order to better understand the growing concern with workplace violence, the Australian Human Rights Commission put together a comprehensive study concerning employee safety issues and complaints from the past two years.

According to the Commission, there were 570 instances of workplace violence that resulted in physical injury and lost working days. And, of the organizations involved, roughly 90 percent of the workplace violence cases ended in lawsuits.

As for the financial consequences of workplace bullying, aggression, and harassment, violent incidences in the office end up costing businesses and organizations in Australia millions of dollars each year.

Read Part One and Two in Our HR ESSENTIALS Series

Employee Safety: How to Prevent Workplace Violence

When your employees arrive at work, they need to feel safe from both inside and outside threats. Besides, a safe workplace is an efficient and productive one.

Fortunately, there are ways to ensure your employees are safe and secure in the office as well as around the property >>>

Create a Workplace Safety Policy Every office should have a workplace safety policy that not only describes what constitutes workplace violence, but also what employees should do if they experience or witness bullying, harassment, and aggression.

It's also important that the policy cover situations involving violence from business managers, executives, and other higher-ups in the company. In other words, the policy should hold everyone in the office equally accountable.

Take Threats Seriously If ever there is a claim concerning workplace violence, the threat must be dealt with quickly and with the utmost seriousness. Again, workplace violence that's ignored will only worsen as time goes on.

Document All Incidents No matter how insignificant the claim, all workplace incidents should be documented. In the case an employee takes legal action, evidence in the form of documentation is likely necessary.

Employee Background Checks It's important to conduct employee background checks for many reasons. One of which is in the instance an incoming employee has a history of workplace violence. If this is the case, notify human resources before making any hiring decisions.

Safety on the Premises Because outdoor employee safety is just as important as inner-office safety, your business must take the necessary safety steps around the workplace premises as well. 

When it comes to safety around the premises and protection from outside threats, your business should consider on-property security guards for early mornings and any after-hours office employees. Also, it's wise to have plenty of lighting in parking lots and along walkways as well as security cameras in high-risk outdoor areas.

By following the advice above, your business will lessen the chance of becoming another workplace violence statistic.

 

About the Author

Adam Groff is a freelance writer and creator of content. He writes on a variety of topics including personal health and home protection.
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