This article is designed as a brief guideline to assist you in creating greater awareness of workplace violence issues. This information will help in recognizing some of the warning signs and provides a brief review for post-employment termination. This article is not intended to be comprehensive and is not a training manual.
There are myriad issues involved in workplace-related violence. We strongly recommend that you consult with professional security experts that are capable of performing threat risk assessments any time that you become aware of someone exhibiting threatening, bizarre, or hostile behavior. Other concerns may include expressing suicidal thoughts, searching for weapons online at work, or desire to injure or harm people at work.
There are numerous instances where these types of warning signs were ignored in the workplace and which became active shooter situations that may have been diffused or prevented.
Recognizing the Warning Signs: 25 Red Flags
The following is a list of 25 red flag issues that may indicate increased potential for violence, however, this is not intended to be a comprehensive list. This information must be evaluated in combination with various other factors known about the person and should include a detailed background check, including criminal history, various public records, personal behaviors, any unusual or bizarre statements, and threats made (if any).
Threat risk assessments should be made by security specialists, law enforcement, or workplace trauma/forensic psychologists with specific experience in assessing workplace violence. These items, in various combinations, are often red flags regarding characteristic behaviors of potentially violent and threatening employees:
25 Red Flags
Follow up:
- Always err on the side of caution & use armed security presence if you have any concerns
- Never meet with a terminated employee in person. Conduct any meetings via conference call.
- Identify who will follow up with employee post-termination event; this is an important step that should not be overlooked.
- Conduct Debrief Session: Identify what worked well and what improvements are needed for future threat situations