You’ve undoubtedly seen it in the news: Last week, Jing Hua Wu, a Santa Clara engineer, shot and killed three people at work—the company’s head of HR, the VP of operations, and the chief executive—after being let go.
This is obviously a tragic (and extreme) turn of events. And given the current state of the economy, and the increasing necessity of layoffs just about everywhere, it’s a good time to ask yourself one of the most difficult questions you face as an HR professional:
If a disgruntled former employee decided to retaliate with violence, would you know how to keep your people safe?
Faced with staggering consequences like this, “I think so” is not a good enough answer. You need a solid strategy in place before the worst happens. Here are some tips to help you get an anti-violence plan together:
Assess your risk: Knowing the areas in which your workplace is vulnerable is important for developing a plan to address the risks. Risk factors that may make your workplace more vulnerable to violence, in addition to layoffs and downsizing, include: one or more employees struggling with domestic violence or legal, financial, or health problems; low workplace morale; and isolated worksites and late-night shifts.- Establish a zero-tolerance policy: While it may seem obvious that certain overt activities are violent and should be prohibited—like hitting, kicking, or threatening someone with a weapon—early stages of violent behavior, such as name calling, racial insults, defying authority, or making verbal threats, may be precursors to more serious problems and should also be prohibited and addressed.
- Train supervisors: Supervisors need to know not only your policy on violence, but also the importance of not ignoring behavior before it gets extreme, how to recognize early-stage violent behavior, and how to properly address it—including resources a problem employee can be referred to (such as an Employee Assistance Program).
- Conduct background checks: With the advent of the Internet, the ease of doing a background check has improved and the cost of a basic pre-employment screening has gone down. In order to do a pre-employment screening, you will need to ask all applicants to disclose all of the counties in which they have lived and any other names they may have used. The screening should include an investigation of convictions, motor vehicle records, and educational institutions. Also, be sure to contact the employee’s references. ERI offers discounted background checks in partnership with Employment Screening Resources.
- Pay attention to terminations: Terminations are never easy on an employee. Even if the employee was a difficult one, he or she deserves to be treated humanely and respectfully during the termination process. When terminating employees, be sure that the process is conducted with tact and discretion. Also, a discipline-related termination should never come as a surprise to an employee: You should ensure that appropriate warnings have been issued prior to reaching the point of termination. Additionally, you should have an established set of procedures to follow for terminations (so that the employee doesn’t feel that he or she was treated differently), and conduct a thorough exit interview that includes an opportunity for the employee to ask questions.
For a more in-depth discussion of these and other steps to prevent violence in your workplace, download a copy of our exclusive Employer Guide, Defuse the Violence: Protect Your Workforce—And Your Company.
Violence in the Workplace Can Strike at Any Time
Last week’s tragedy was a frightening reminder of how violence can devastate a workplace without warning. As an HR professional, you need to take steps to protect your workers from all forms of workplace violence. Our 28-page Employer Guide, Defuse the Violence: Protect Your Workforce—And Your Company provides a seven-step action plan for preventing violence in the workplace, tips for responding to violent incidents, sample policies, and more. Download it now—you’ll be glad you did.