Work rage!

Work rageShock statistics from the TUC reveal that one in five people are attacked or abused at work every year in the UK. So who’s in danger and what can be done to make them feel safe?



Risky businesses
According to the TUC report, Violent Times, nurses are most at risk, with one in three assaulted every year. Others in the firing line include security staff and employees in care homes. Younger women are most likely to be assaulted in the workplace: 11 per cent of women aged 25–34 have suffered a physical attack, compared to six per cent of men in the same age group. Apparently, the ‘caring’ professions are also the most dangerous to work in.

Rebecca Marchant, a receptionist in a busy advertising firm, has first hand experience of this trend. ‘I'm shouted at by clients at least once a week. Because they cannot get to see the boss and I'm delivering the message, they take their anger out on me. As a result I feel demoralised,’ she says. In fact, Rebecca has had long periods of sickness, which she feels were caused by job-stress.

Vicky Sanders works as a housing officer for social services. ‘I've genuinely feared for my safety on several occasions, and have been pushed and abused verbally,’ she says. Do her employers sit up and notice? ‘My employers are aware, but there is no formal procedure to combat the threat of violence; I’m expected to just carry on,’ she says.

Social care staff often work with people who are in crisis and they regularly have to manage distressing situations. Some would argue that abuse, be it verbal or physical, is par for the course in people-focused industries. Is this fair? Not according to the Health and Safety Commission (HSC), whose Chair, Bill Callaghan, says, ‘No one should have to accept verbal or physical abuse as part of their job.’

Why the sudden increase in violence at work?
TUC spokesperson Liz Chinchen recognises that the breakneck pace of life in the 21st century has caused ‘People’s stress levels to rise along with their expectation of service, so they are much less patient as a result,’ she says. ‘We have reports of violence from waitresses, who've had members of the public lashing out at them because they've had to wait ten minutes to be served.’

How should employers support their workers?
According to Diane Sinclair, Employment Relations Advisor at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, ‘Safety at work is essential for higher levels of job satisfaction.’ Bosses ignore violence at their peril as the fallout is often poor staff morale, iffy business image, staff turnover problems and high absenteeism.

What about the victims?
The Institute of Employment Studies recommends two courses of action for employers dealing with the aftermath of violence at work. Firstly, they must aim to ‘diffuse’ situations after trauma. ‘Diffusing’ is the term used generically to describe workers and managers getting together after an incident to discuss and make sense of what has happened. The aim is to learn from past mistakes. Secondly, debriefing also helps victims talk through their experience. This should be done as soon as possible after the event to avoid any long-term distress to employees. Verbal abuse can be just as upsetting as a physical attack and individuals may need time to recover, and (in some cases) specialist counselling.

The Andrea Adams Trust and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust are organisations dedicated to offering counselling and advice on personal safety to people who have endured workplace violence and bullying.

If you're an employee

  • Build self-confidence by keeping fit and acting confident – ask to attend an assertiveness course if your company provides one.
  • Immediately report any physical attack or verbal abuse to your boss, however ‘minor’, preferably in writing. This will be important later if you want to convince your employers that there's a pattern of violence at your workplace.
  • Avoid handling cash alone.
  • Before leaving your workplace ensure that your whereabouts are known. Do not forget to say when you're due back.

    If you’re an employer

  • Assess the risks of violence to staff.
  • Take steps to prevent or minimise violence or protect employees from it.
  • Ensure that when violent attacks do happen, they're recorded, and the victims receive appropriate assistance.
  • Have a clear code of practice:
    • Encourage an open and trusting culture
    • Offer counselling support for all staff
    • Provide suitable management training.

    • Useful links

    Extra information

    • ‘Tackling violence at work’ – free from TUC’s know your rights line 0870 600 4 882. Explains how workers, unions and employers can tackle violence at work together.

    • Health & safety enquiries: HSE InfoLine, tel. 0541 545500

    • Home Office leaflet ‘Victims of crime’ – useful advice for employers on how to cope if employees suffer an injury, loss or damage from a crime, including how to apply for compensation. Available from libraries, police stations, Citizens Advice Bureaux and victim support schemes.