Dealing with violence and aggressive behaviour in the workplace
Ideally no-one should face aggression or violence in the workplace, but in reality many people do. For some it will be an occasional hazard they face, while for others it can be a more or less daily occurrence. Regardless of the frequency with which the issues arise, we all have to take the necessary safeguards to minimise (i) the likelihood of problems arising; (ii) the risks involved when they do arise; and (iii) the potentially very negative impact on us.
There are no guarantees that aggression and violence will not occur, but there are steps we can take to reduce the chances. Having a sense of control can also help to make dealing with the risks a less stressful experience than it might otherwise turn out to be. What is perhaps the most dangerous approach to take is to assume that ‘it will never happen to me’. We owe it to ourselves and to each other as colleagues to do whatever we reasonably can to keep the risks to a minimum and to be as prepared as we reasonably can for all the possible eventualities. To find out more, choose from the menu below.
Please select from the following:
- What are violence and aggression?
- How do I protect myself from harm?
- What are the warning signs?
- What policies and procedures should be in place?
Publications by Neil Thompson to help you manage violence and aggression issues and other situations that can arise when dealing with people
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People Skills provides an excellent foundation for learning about self-management skills, interpersonal skills and the problem-solving skills required by a wide variety of managers and professionals. |
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Tackling Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace (Russell House Publishing, 2009) Bullying and harassment are increasingly recognised as major problems in the workplace, and can occur whenever staff or managers abuse or misuse their power over others. They can have devastating results on the individuals concerned, and also cause significant difficulties for the organisation itself, in terms of: reduced effectiveness caused by the tension and ill-feeling generated; legal problems; and the risk of the organisation gaining a reputation for being a poor employer. |
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DVD ResourcesHandling Aggression (Avenue Media Solutions, 2010) This DVD has been prepared to help a wide variety of people to develop their understanding of how best to handle situations that may involve aggressive behaviour. It is a 37 minute presentation that is divided into five parts. Part One discusses the steps that can be taken to prevent aggression. Part Two explores the warning signs that we need to learn how to recognise. In Part Three, the discussion switches to a consideration of how we can defuse situations that involve aggression. In Part Four, the focus is on protecting ourselves. The final part is concerned with dealing with the aftermath, ‘picking up the pieces’, as it were. This DVD offers a sound foundation for more confident and effective approaches to situations that involve actual or potential aggression.
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Tackling Bullying and Harassment (Avenue Media Solutions, 2010)
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Managing Conflict (Avenue Media Solutions, 2010) This DVD has been prepared to help a wide variety of people to develop their understanding of conflict and therefore be better equipped to deal with the challenges that conflict presents. It is a 30-minute presentation that is divided into three parts. Part One discusses the prevalence and impact of conflict, making the point that conflict is far more common than people generally realise and also potentially very problematic in a variety of ways. Part Two examines four different levels of conflict and explains why it is important to distinguish between them. The final part introduces ‘The RED Approach’ as a basis for managing conflict. This DVD offers a sound foundation for more confident and effective approaches to conflict situations. |
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Dealing with Stress: A 3-DVD Set (Avenue Media Solutions, 2010) In the modern workplace it seems that stress is never far away. In the highly pressurised world we work in today there is a challenge to us all to make sure that we do not allow potentially stimulating and rewarding pressures to reach a level where they become harmful and destructive stress. Individuals and organisations that fail to take seriously the challenge of stress in the workplace are risking some very serious and harmful consequences. To help avoid the damage that stress can do and to support efforts to deal with it effectively. Stress issues are often oversimplified, with the subtleties and complexities not properly understood. Because of this, the DVDs offer a clear understanding of what stress is all
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