Mass Violence Preparation PA Human Resource Managers Can Offer Employees

By Thomas Turner


At one time people felt perfectly safe sending their children off to school and heading into the office themselves. That is no longer the case. Bullied children and disgruntled employees have easy access to weapons. Instructions for making homemade bombs are all over the internet. In the workplace, there are steps to mass violence preparation PA human resource managers should be taking to keep employees as safe as possible.

Preparing should start with the job interview. Applicants need to expect prospective employers to check carefully into their personal backgrounds. They should be prepared for references to be checked, police records to be requested, and social media accounts accessed. Drug screening must be required of all new employees regardless of the job level. Credit reports will give human resources important information about the way an individual manages personal responsibilities and how stable they are.

A history of domestic abuse should be a big red flag to anyone interviewing job applicants. Unless the applicant can show that the problem has been addressed with professional counseling and completion of anger management programs, it's best to pass on that applicant. Sometimes current employees become victims of domestic abuse. All employees should be encouraged to contact the human resources department with this information. They can take steps to protect employees against any intrusion.

It's becoming common for individuals to confront spouses in the workplace. The party with the problem knows this is where he will find the other person. He might have visited the office previously. When human resources knows a confrontation is a possibility, the manager can distribute pictures of the individual throughout the company. A description of the individual's vehicle and license plate number can be turn over to security.

It is critical that employees understand what they must do in the case of an emergency. Everyone should know that running, hiding, and fighting are the most effective responses, in that order. How individual employees react in a crisis situation will determine which of these responses is used. Role playing can be an effective tool to help employees practice for a real emergency.

Employees need to be encouraged to say something if they see inappropriate behavior in the workplace. Workers should understand that they can contact management and be protected from any backlash. Employees should be discouraged from taking matters into their own hands or reporting on co-workers based on religious or political beliefs.

Tempers can flare, and tensions can get high in the workplace at times. If any employee takes anger to an inappropriate level, it is time for a human resources officer to step in. The individual must be treated with empathy and care. If the incident is a serious infraction, the person needs to understand that a report will be placed in the personnel file. The employee in question must see the report and sign off on it.

Calling the police to request extra protection is certainly appropriate if anyone makes a direct threat against the company or one of its employees. It may be necessary to hire additional security. Companies must do whatever is necessary to protect their employees from workplace violence.




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