Workplace violence.
Just last month, shots rang out once again in the nation's post offices. And when the smoke cleared, authorities had identified a recently fired postal employee as having shot two postal workers in Dana Point, California, and a disgruntled postal employee for having shot three workers in a Dearborn, Michigan, postal garage. During an 18-month period prior to these events, there were some 500 recorded cases of employee violence toward a supervisor at the U.S. Postal Service, cited Warren F. Miller, a casualty loss control specialist for the Kemper National Insurance Cos. in Dewitt, New York. Even more interesting, the Postal Service also recorded 200 cases of violence from a supervisor towards an employee, Mr. Miller added during a timely educational session addressing workplace violence.Workplace violence is "physical assault, threatening havior or verbal abuse occurring in the work setting," defined Julianne Stanton, a staff occupational health consultant with Kemper National lnsurance Cos. in Chicago. Citing a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study, Ms. Stanton said that 12 percent of deaths in the workplace from 1980 to 1988 resulted from homicide. Which occupations pose the greatest risks? Law enforcement; transportation (taxi drivers); convenience store and small retail store operations; and service stations. And the positions within organizations most at risk? Human resources personnel and supervisors.
Studies have shown the individuals most likely to commit acts of workplace violence to be loner types, suffering from low self-esteem and working in an authoritarian type of management environment. On the other hand, "employees feel better and work better in an emotionally healthy work environment," Ms. Stanton said. Therefore, she suggests adopting an employee assistance program and teaching managers, supervisors and even employees communication skills and conflict resolution and stress management techniques.
In one of these most recent postal incidents, the disgruntled employee had made numerous threats of violence to his supervisor and other employees. Ms. Stanton said the first rule is "do not take threats lightly because they can be a predictor of future behavior. They must be addressed." Furthermore, keep in mind that domestic violence often spills over into the workplace. So, if you are looking to tighten access control, consider restricting family visitors, as well as former employees, to the reception area, Mr. Miller recommended.
The company itself can also be a victim of violence in the workplace, noted Chris Guarrero, director of security for Pizza Hut in Wichita, Kansas: employee turnover can increase; workers' compensation claims may rise (particularly from stress claims); and overall liability can increase. But perhaps the most significant consequence of violence in the workplace, from a company operating standpoint, is that its public image can be badly damaged.
"The sad reality is someone will be a victim of a violent crime," Mr. Guarrero lamented. Furthermore, accidents or mistakes are inevitable, and some crises, such as "Love Canal" may take years to develop, so practicing good media relations before a critical event occurs can help mitigate a company's loss due to poor publicity.
When a crisis does occur, the risk manager should adhere to four keys to crisis communication: speed, accuracy, credibility and consistency. "Get the bad news out fast and get it out completely" - there are instances where a company that comes forward with a story first can limit its negative effects; it also serves to reduce the media's innate suspicions of corporate behavior, asserted David Olson, vice president of corporate communication for National Medical Enterprises Inc. in Santa Monica, California.
Mr. Olson strongly advised establishing a crisis management team that is empowered to make quick decisions and make them stick. And before a crisis ever develops, he recommended that a company develop crisis scenarios against which your crisis management team can practice its response. The team can also prepare news releases and potential question and answer lists before a crisis occurs.
When speaking to the press during a crisis, however, Corbette Doyle, senior vice president, advanced risk management services for Willis Corroon in Nashville, recommended that "if you really don't yet know the answer, then say so." Whatever you do, she emphasized, do not say "no comment" or remain silent, because that makes you automatically guilty in the public's mind. Refer all questions to a designated spokesperson do not let your company's CEOs speak to the press, because they would look irresponsible if they said they do not know the answers to questions they are expected to know as the head of the company. Realize that you do not have to answer questions on the spot, but it's imperative you call back with the answers as quickly as is feasible. And stick to the facts, keeping it short and avoiding jargon.
Mr. Olson also suggests monitoring the accuracy of press coverage, providing updates and letting them know right away if they are in error. It was further suggested that you log all calls and fully document or record all interviews. Should a company lose all of its credibility due to an event, it would do well to hire outside people, such as lavyers or engineers, to fulfill the role as credible spokespeople, Ms. Doyle maintained.
Every branch of a corporation should know the media and understand its deadlines: "If they have a story to file, they'll file whether you give them the facts or not," Mr. Olson said. But, perhaps even more important, make sure the media knows your organization and its guiding principles in order to ensure balanced and fair reporting. This can be achieved, Mr. Olson noted, by establishing personnel as expert resources for the media to utilize. Also, a company should develop a reputation for quick response. "And do all of this on the local level, too. I can't stress enough training your local management to manage a crisis," Mr. Olson pointed out. Finally, Ms. Doyle advised, keep your insurers up to date on measures the company has taken to mitigate or repair the damage from a crisis A lack of ongoing communication could hurt your company's position during policy renewal negotiations later on.
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| Title Annotation: | RIMS Conference panel |
|---|---|
| Author: | Kurland, Orin M. |
| Publication: | Risk Management |
| Date: | Jun 1, 1993 |
| Words: | 1005 |
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