Workplace Violence in a Recession

The 2008 article From the Editor-in-Chief’s Desk: The “Workplace-During-Recession” Reminding Us of Employee Rights and Responsibilities, published by Margaret H. Vickers in the Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal states that “many workplaces take on a subtle but definite shift in identity when the R-word (recession) is on the horizon.  However, the outcome of this identity additive is less than subtle.  For workers who are marginalized for any reason… it’s a time to be nervous.”  Workers at the margins, those most likely to be affected by recession, are also the most likely to “snap” a work.

There are three primary pressures that may increase anxiety for workers during a recession:

• Job losses
• Job uncertainty
• Slashed budgets

These factors are often in addition to personal issues employees often face such as financial or relationship worries.

Reason to Worry
Experts indicate that there is reason to worry.  Most perpetrators of workplace violence seem completely “normal” before an incident.  But, fear can be a powerful persuader – fear of losing a job, not being able to make financial ends meet, and the intense pressure that can be put on personal and work relationships when so many worries pile up – make recessions a contributing factor for workplace violence.

The Catch-22
Because recession often forces an organization to cut costs, many elect to forgo thorough pre-employment screening and/or continued employment screening.  Right when the need is most pressing, many companies remove one of the most important barriers to workplace violence.  Although it’s not entirely necessary to step up screening during a recession, it’s never advisable to reduce or eliminate the practice.

According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, “pre-employment screening is an important part of workplace violence prevention.”  Recession, which promotes an environment of increased worker stress, is a major contributing factor to workplace violence.  Companies that have a sound pre-employment screening plan in place, in addition to education and response policies, may experience less violence than workplaces that don’t screen workers.

Webinar: Friday August 13, 2010 – Workplace Violence in the 21st Century

Webinar: Workplace Violence in the 21st Century – 2:00 PM Eastern 11:00 Pacific

Tampa, Fl., August 11, 2010—In the wake of the beer distributorship shooting and tragic loss of life in Manchester, CT on August 3rd, many Human Resource professionals and business leaders are taking a fresh look at their policies and procedures that address workplace violence. A new webinar, “Workplace Violence in the 21st Century: Top 10 Lessons Learned,” offers employers and HR professionals an opportunity to learn from and ask questions of two experts who have worked on the prevention of workplace violence for decades. The webinar will take place on Friday, August 13, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT.

Individuals can register for this free webinar at: http://www.accuscreen.com/media/webinars

Hosted by AccuScreen Inc., an industry pioneer, leader and expert in employment background screening, the webinar will feature founder and CEO Kevin Connell interviewing Barry Nixon, the executive director of the National Institute for Prevention of Workplace Violence, Inc., a company focused on assisting organizations to effectively implement programs to prevent workplace violence. Connell, also an expert on the subject of workplace violence and on background checks, promises a content-packed discussion.

The webinar will address the issue of workplace violence, the warning signs to look out for, and why no company no matter how large or small is immune. Most importantly, Connell and Nixon will speak about ways to prevent workplace violence from happening in the first place.

Adds CEO Connell of AccuScreen, “we will address not only why workplace violence has been on the rise, but also dispel the different myths that are out there such as the ‘disgruntled worker just snapped.’”

Connell and Nixon will reserve time on the webinar for questions. They encourage participants to bring questions that they may have about workplace violence.

About Accu-Screen Inc.
Since 1994, Accu-Screen, Inc. has been an industry pioneer, leader and expert in employment background screening, tenant screening, nanny screening and date screening, specializing in criminal background checks. Its reports are delivered to companies across the world with turnaround times from Instant to no more than 72 hours. CEO Kevin G. Connell founded the company with a burning desire that companies hire the right people from the start, resulting in greater cost control and better safety in the workplace. Mr. Connell served as a Founding Director of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), and he is a frequent Radio and Television Guest, appearing on ABC and Fox. Kevin also serves as a national speaker and expert in negligent hiring, resume fraud, employee theft, and embezzlement. Accu-Screen, Inc. is a C.A.U.S.E. Certified Background Screening Company.

About Kevin Connell
Kevin Connell has over 15 years experience as CEO & Founder of AccuScreen.com, a Global Background Screening Company, specializing in Criminal Background Checks. Mr. Connell was one of the founding Directors of the National Association of Background Screeners (www.napbs.com); he is an internationally-known expert on Background Checks, Occupational Fraud and Embezzlement, as well as a speaker, published author who has appeared on over 73 Television and Radio shows including Fox News and ABC’s Money Matters.

About Barry Nixon
W. Barry Nixon is the Executive Director of the National Institute for Prevention of Workplace Violence, Inc., a company focused on assisting organizations to effectively implement programs to prevent workplace violence. Having spent over twenty years in Human Resources and Organization Development in Fortune 500 companies. Mr. Nixon is well grounded in the real issues companies face and develops practical solutions based on having been there. Mr. Nixon is a frequently requested speaker both in the US and internationally on the subject of Workplace Violence and Background Screening.

Angry Employee Turns to Workplace Violence

Workplace Violence Became Deadly in Connecticut at a Local Warehouse

A warehouse driver became violent when asked to resign from his job. He was working at a beer distributor, refused to be let go and then opened fire Tuesday morning. Police said the gunman and several other people were killed and others were wounded, one critically.

The authorities are still searching the building to make sure everyone is accounted for before confirming the number of deaths, state police Lt. J. Paul Vance said.

Michaela Donnelly, spokeswoman said that at least one person has died at Hartford Hospital and another victim taken there was in critical condition and another in fair condition.

There were about 50 to 70 people in the warehouse at the time of the shooting. Adding to the chaos was a fire at the warehouse, which is about 10 miles east of Hartford that has been put out.

The gunman was a driver who had worked at the distributor for a couple of years and been called in for a disciplinary hearing, said John Hollis of the Connecticut Teamsters, who was with company officials at the scene of the shooting.

Police and fire vehicles, from numerous agencies, surrounded the warehouse on a tree-lined road in an industrial park just west of a shopping mall. A SWAT team with a police dog was walking around the property a couple of hours after the 7 a.m. shooting.