Workplace violence is something no employer wants to think about, but preparing for it is an essential part of creating a safe workplace. From verbal threats and harassment to physical assaults, workplace violence can occur in any industry and has significant human and financial consequences.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), workplace violence costs employers an estimated $121 billion each year through lost productivity, medical expenses, legal costs, and other business impacts.
The good news is that employers can reduce risk by taking a proactive approach. These five steps can help build a workplace violence prevention program that protects employees while supporting compliance.
1. Create a Written Prevention Plan
A written workplace violence prevention policy establishes expectations and provides employees with a clear course of action if an incident occurs. Even where state laws do not require a formal policy, having one demonstrates a commitment to employee safety.
Your plan should define prohibited behaviors, reporting procedures, emergency contacts, and response protocols. Organizations with multiple locations should also develop site-specific response plans that address the unique risks of each workplace.
2. Assess Workplace Risks
Every workplace faces different safety challenges. Healthcare employees may encounter violence from patients, while retail workers may be more vulnerable to customer incidents or robberies.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies four primary categories of workplace violence:
- Criminal intent
- Customer or client violence
- Worker-on-worker violence
- Personal relationship violence
Understanding which risks are most likely to affect your workplace helps you develop prevention strategies that address your organization’s unique needs.
3. Train Employees to Recognize and Respond
A policy is only effective if employees know how to apply it. Training should help staff recognize warning signs, understand reporting procedures, and respond appropriately during threatening situations.
Training should address workplace violence broadly rather than focusing solely on active shooter scenarios. It should also prepare employees for realistic situations without relying on unnecessarily graphic or alarming content.
4. Document Incidents and Evaluate Your Program
Every reported incident should be documented thoroughly, including who was involved, what occurred, when and where it happened, and how the organization responded. Consistent documentation helps identify patterns, supports investigations, and demonstrates an employer’s commitment to maintaining a safe workplace.
Just as important, organizations should regularly review incidents, employee feedback, and workplace conditions to identify opportunities for improvement. Workplace violence prevention is an ongoing process, and policies should evolve as risks and business needs change.
5. Enforce Policies Consistently
Even the best prevention plan is only effective if it is consistently followed. Employees should understand why security measures and reporting procedures exist and feel confident that concerns will be taken seriously.
Regularly reviewing policies for compliance with applicable federal, state, and local requirements and applying them consistently across the organization helps strengthen both workplace safety and legal defensibility.
Prevention Starts with Preparation
A strong workplace violence prevention strategy is about more than having a policy in place, it’s about creating an environment where employees know what to do, feel comfortable raising concerns, and trust that their safety is a priority. Proactive planning today can help organizations respond more effectively when challenges arise.
