What Is Workplace Violence?

Workplace violence refers to any threat or act of physical, verbal, or psychological harm, harassment, aggression, or intimidation that takes place at work.¹ Violence can occur between coworkers as well as between employees and clients, patients, or customers.

Sadly, workplace violence is not rare in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that from 2021–22, there were 57,610 incidents of workplace violence–related injuries, including 524 fatalities in 2022.² From 1992 to 2019, approximately 18,000 individuals were victims of work-related homicide.³ Between 2015 and 2019, an average of 1.3 million non-fatal work-related violent crimes occurred each year.⁴

Although any industry can experience workplace violence, certain professions are more susceptible. These include healthcare professionals, transportation providers, retail workers, educators, and first responders.^5,6

Predicting if and when someone might behave violently at work is extremely difficult, but there are some emotional and behavioral warning signs to look for that might indicate a person is becoming increasingly agitated. These include:⁷

• Excessive drinking and/or drug use
• Having drastic changes in their mood, especially displaying a negative mood (e.g., irritability, anger, depression)
• Repeatedly breaking company policies and rules
• Showing resistance to changes at work
• Vocally complaining about being treated unfairly at work
• Acting paranoid (e.g., thinks people at work are "out to get" them)
• Social withdrawal
• Making statements suggesting they are having thoughts of suicide

It is a common myth that mental illness is a risk factor for violence, but this is simply not the case. The vast majority of violence is not due to mental illness. In fact, people with mental illness are more likely to be victims of violence than to perpetrate it.^8,9,10 An employee who has a psychiatric disorder should not be considered at risk of violence any more than any other worker.

How Workplace Violence Affects Employees and Employers

The ripple effects of violence, in general, on a person’s physical, mental, and emotional health are well-documented.¹¹ The same can be said for violence occurring in the workplace. Although an incident might seem isolated, it can have far-reaching effects on an individual’s well-being and ability to function and perform.

Physical Effects

People experiencing occupational violence are at risk for physical health problems, including sustaining bodily injuries as a result of the violence (e.g., bruising, bleeding, musculoskeletal injuries) and sleep disturbance.^12,13

Psychiatric and Functional Effects

From 2015–19, nearly one-quarter (24%) of victims of non-fatal workplace violence reported experiencing moderate social or emotional problems as a result of the violence, and 15% reported experiencing severe problems.¹⁴ Additionally, 20% said they had problems with work as a consequence of workplace violence, and 10% experienced problems with their interpersonal relationships.¹⁵

Workplace violence can also harm a person’s psychological well-being by causing:^16,17,18

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Posttraumatic stress disorder
• Low self-esteem
• Guilt or self-blame
• Irritability
• Concentration difficulties
• Feelings of helplessness, dread, and worry
• General emotional distress
• A deep fear of revictimization or having to interact repeatedly with the perpetrator

Work-Related Effects

Not surprisingly, experiencing violence at work can adversely affect a person’s work behavior. For instance, occupational violence has been correlated with increased turnover intention (i.e., plans to quit), especially when employees feel as though they lack social and organizational support.^19,20 Workplace violence has also been strongly linked to increased rates of employee burnout.^21,22

Violence in the work setting can have an economic toll as well. A review of 10 studies found the cost of occupational violence in the United States could be as a high as $55.86 billion per year.²³

Additional consequences of occupational violence for companies include:

• Absenteeism — Workers exposed to occupational violence are almost two times as likely to have health-related absenteeism than unexposed workers.²⁴
• Lost productivity — Occupational violence results in an estimated $727 million in lost productivity costs.²⁵
• Cost to employers — In the healthcare and social service industries, non-fatal violence-related workers' compensation claims with more than 5 days away from work cost companies nearly half a billion dollars ($0.47 billion) in 2022.²⁶
• Litigation costs — Workplace violence has been estimated to cost up to $3.1 million per person per incident in liability lawsuits.²⁷

Tips for Employers: How You Can Help Employees with Workplace Violence

Everyone has the right to feel secure while at work. Employers play a significant role in safeguarding the protection and well-being of workers (and themselves) by setting a tone of zero-tolerance for violence and ensuring safe work conditions.

Consider the following strategies organizations can use to prevent or mitigate occupational violence:^28,29,30,31

• Follow the law: In the United States, workplace violence regulations are provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, under their General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1) 29 CFR 1960.8). This clause recommends employers develop workplace violence prevention programs that address 5 key topics: management commitment and employee participation, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, safety and health training, and record keeping and program evaluation.
• Make the workplace a safe space: Workers may be reluctant to report incidents of violence out of fear of retribution or the belief that reporting will be unproductive. Employers can help workers feel safe and confident about reporting incidents by emphasizing the organization’s zero-tolerance policies toward violence, clearly articulating the reporting process, and ensuring the reporting system is easy to access and use. Getting buy-in from management is crucial here and helps convey from the top down the message that violence will not be permitted, and employee safety is paramount.
• Offer safety training: Training opportunities can help reduce a person’s chances of injury or potentially stop a high-stress event from becoming violent in the first place. For instance, employees and managers can benefit from workshops on self-defense techniques and de-escalation strategies. Educational content should cover the warning signs of violent behavior and how best to respond in violent situations. Managers should be given guidance on enforcing anti-bullying and violence prevention policies and how to report incidents to leadership.
• Establish clear policies and procedures: Leadership must ensure the organization has a clear policy stating that violence in the workplace will not be tolerated and that serious consequences will result, up to and including immediate termination and/or notifying law enforcement. The policy should also articulate the consequences for related behaviors, such as verbal threats, bullying, harassment, and other behaviors that could make an employee feel unsafe. Adopting policies that speak to a “violence-free workplace” (including a bullying-free workplace) allows for quick interventions once the organization identifies a potential threat.
• Put a plan in place: In addition to violence-free policies and procedures, a workplace violence prevention plan can help companies feel confident they are implementing the necessary protections that all workers deserve. Such a plan can include elements like mandatory employee training and effective communication strategies.
• Conduct a company-wide hazard assessment: Assessments like a violence prevention climate survey can determine the extent to which the workplace is at risk for violence and how prepared the organization is to respond appropriately and quickly.
• Consider logistical measures: Although these will not be practical or accessible for all workplace settings, logistical solutions may make it more difficult for a person to commit a violent act. Such measures include installing metal detectors, panic alarms/buttons, and bulletproof glass; hiring security guards; establishing multiple exit routes on each floor; and securing entrances so people cannot access the building or floor without a key, card, or code.

Resources

Employers can learn more about how to stop or mitigate violence at work through the following resources:

• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s workplace violence topic webpage includes information to help businesses prevent or reduce workplace violence and assess their organizational readiness to do so.
• The Workers Compensation Trust (.pdf) offers a sample workplace violence policy that organizations can use to create their own guidelines and establish a zero-tolerance approach to occupational violence.
• The Joint Commission developed a collection of workplace violence resources, including information about prevention programs and assistance for conducting a worksite hazard analysis.
• The American Hospital Association provides links to case studies demonstrating how various organizations are successfully addressing violence in their work settings.