1. SHRM Survey Findings: Workplace Violence
February 29, 2012

2. Definitions
Workplace violence: Assaults and other violent acts or threats that occur in or are related to the workplace and entail a substantial risk of physical or emotional harm to individuals or damage to company resources or capabilities. Workplace violence may involve employees, clients and vendors of the affected organization as well as those who do not have a relationship with the organization but who may know the intended victims.
Target: The person toward whom the threat of violence is directed.

3. Key Findings
Are organizations experiencing workplace violence? Over one-third (36%) of organizations reported incidents of workplace violence. Compared with two years ago, most organizations indicated that incidents of violence had either stayed about the same (45%) or decreased in frequency (40%), while 15% reported an increase in frequency.
To whom are threats of violence typically reported? The majority of organizations reported that threats of violence are reported to the HR department/function head (83%) or to the threatened employee’s direct supervisor (68%).
How do or would organizations respond to threats of violence from an employee? The top four responses were: the response depends on the specific circumstance (61%), zero tolerance policy (immediate termination) (47%), a written warning (31%) and suspension (29%).
What are the costs of workplace violence? The three most common costs associated with workplace violence were management time/expense (55%), productivity loss (37%) and staff replacement costs resulting from turnover caused by the incident (34%).

4. Workplace Violence Incidents of Violence in the Workplace
Incident Reporting
Response to Incidents
Effects of Violence on Employees
Costs of Violence to the Organization
Workplace Culture

5. Has your current organization ever experienced an incident of workplace violence?
Note: Respondents who answered “not sure/don’t know” were excluded from this analysis.

6. Differences based on organization staff size
Has your current organization ever experienced an incident of workplace violence?
Comparisons by organization staff size
Larger organizations (2,500 or more employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (1-499 employees) to have experienced an incident of workplace violence.
Small organizations
Large organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
1 to 99 employees (12%)
100 to 499 employees (33%)
2,500 to 24,999 employees (62%)
25,000 or more employees (91%)
Larger organizations > smaller organizations

7. Has your current organization experienced an incident of workplace violence?
Note: Respondents who answered “not sure/don’t know” were excluded from this analysis.

8. Have incidents of violence in your organization...?
Note: Only respondents whose organizations had experienced an incident of workplace violence in the past five years were asked this question in the 2011 survey. Respondents who answered “not sure/don’t know” were excluded from this analysis. For 2011 data, the question asked about incidents of violence “compared with two years ago” whereas for 2003 data, the question asked about incidents of violence “since January 1, 2000”.

9.   Through what channels or to whom within your organization are threats of violence typically reported?
Note: n = 69. Only respondents whose organizations had experienced an incident of workplace violence in the past five years were asked this question. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.

10. Through what channels or to whom within your organization are threats of violence typically reported?
Comparisons by organization staff size
Larger organizations (2,500-24,999 employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (500-2,499 employees) to typically report threats of violence to other management-level staff (nonexecutive).
Smaller organizations
Larger organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
500 to 2,499 employees (14%)
2,500 to 24,999 employees (67%)
Larger organizations > smaller organizations
Smaller organizations (1-99 employees) are more likely than larger organizations (2,500-24,999 employees) to typically report threats of violence to executive-level staff.
Small organizations
Large organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
1 to 99 employees (57%)
2,500 to 24,999 employees (6%)
Smaller organizations > larger organizations
Larger organizations (25,000 or more employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (100-2,499 employees) to typically report threats of violence to a hotline or other reporting system.
Smaller organizations
Larger organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
100 to 499 employees (12%)
500 to 2,499 employees (21%)
25,000 or more employees (78%)
Larger organizations > smaller organizations

11.   How does or would your organization respond to threats of violence from an employee?
Note: Respondents who answered “N/A, the organization has not had threats of violence from any employee” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.

12. How does or would your organization respond to threats of violence from an employee?
Comparisons by organization sector
Government agencies are more likely than publicly owned for-profit organizations to respond to threats of violence with mandatory anger management training.
Publicly owned for-profit
Government
Differences based on organization sector 2%
27%
Government > publicly owned for-profit
Government agencies are more likely than privately owned for-profit organizations to respond to threats of violence with paid administrative leave.
Privately owned for-profit
Government
Differences based on organization sector 5%
27%
Government > privately owned for-profit
Government agencies are more likely than privately owned for-profit organizations to respond to threats of violence with reassignment to another department or area.
Privately owned for-profit
Government
Differences based on organization sector 3%
23%
Government > privately owned for-profit

13. How does or would your organization respond to threats of violence from an employee? (continued)
Comparisons by organization sector (continued)
Publicly owned for-profit organizations or privately owned for-profit organizations are more likely than government agencies to respond to threats of violence with a zero tolerance policy (immediate termination).
Publicly owned for-profit
Privately owned for-profit
Government
Differences based on organization sector
57%
51%
18%
Publicly owned for-profit, privately owned for-profit > government

14.   Who is responsible for handling the organization’s response to threats of violence from an employee?
Note: Respondents who answered “N/A, no set responsibility” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.

15. Who is responsible for handling the organization’s response to threats of violence from an employee?
Comparisons by organization staff size
Smaller organizations ( employees) are more likely to report that executive-level staff is responsible for handling the organization’s response to threats of violence, compared with larger organizations (2,500-24,999 employees).
Small organizations
Large organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
100 to 499 employees (46%)
2,500 to 24,999 employees (21%)
Small organizations > large organizations
Larger organizations (2,500 or more employees) are more likely to report that legal counsel is responsible for handling the organization’s response to threats of violence, compared with smaller organizations (1-99 employees).
Small organizations
Large organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
1 to 99 employees (8%)
2,500 to 24,999 employees (38%)
25,000 or more employees (47%)
Large organizations > small organizations
Larger organizations (2,500 or more employees) are more likely to report that the security department is responsible for handling the organization’s response to threats of violence, compared with smaller organizations (1-99 employees or 500-2,499 employees).
Small organizations
Large organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
1 to 99 employees (3%)
500 to 2,499 employees (10%)
2,500 to 24,999 employees (31%)
25,000 or more employees (40%)
Larger organizations > smaller organizations

16. Who is responsible for handling the organization’s response to threats of violence from an employee? (continued)
Comparisons by organization sector
Publicly and privately owned for-profit organizations are more likely to report that the HR department/function is responsible for handling the organization’s response to threats of violence, compared with government agencies.
Publicly owned for-profit
Privately owned for-profit
Government
Differences based on organization sector
95%
93%
71%
Publicly owned for-profit, privately owned for-profit > government
Government agencies are more likely than nonprofit organizations to report that legal counsel is responsible for handling the organization’s response to threats of violence.
Nonprofit
Government
Differences based on organization sector
14%
42%
Government > nonprofit

17.   In your opinion, how have incidents of violence in your workplace affected the employees in your organization?
Note: Only respondents whose organizations had experienced an incident of workplace violence were asked this question. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options. An asterisk (*) indicates response choice was not available in the 2003 survey.

18. In your opinion, how have incidents of violence in your workplace affected the employees in your organization?
Comparisons by organization staff size
Larger organizations (25,000 or more employees) are more likely to report that incidents of workplace violence resulted in complaints about decreased trust in management, compared with smaller organizations ( employees).
Small organizations
Large organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
100 to 499 employees (7%)
25,000 or more employees (60%)
Large organizations > small organizations
Larger organizations (25,000 or more employees) are more likely to report that incidents of workplace violence resulted in complaints about decreased morale, compared with smaller organizations ( employees).
Small organizations
Large organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
100 to 499 employees (10%)
25,000 or more employees (70%)
Large organizations > small organizations
Larger organizations (500-2,499 employees) are more likely to report that incidents of workplace violence resulted in complaints about a decreased sense of safety, compared with smaller organizations ( employees).
Small organizations
Large organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
100 to 499 employees (10%)
500 to 2,499 employees (52%)
Large organizations > small organizations

19. Which of the following costs associated with incidents of workplace violence has your organization experienced?
Management time/expense of being distracted from focusing on managing business operations
55%
Productivity loss (e.g., slower production)
37%
Staff replacement costs due to turnover caused by the incident
34%
Increased training expenses
31%
Increased security expenses
28%
Incident debriefing with affected employees
Turnover-related expenses
27%
Increased communications cost (e.g., meetings, equipment)
Increased legal expenses/higher utilization of legal staff
20%
Increased HR expenses
19%
Increased absenteeism
17%
Lawsuit-related expenses
15%
Temporary hiring costs
14%
Increased EAP/psychiatric services expenses
11%
Note: n = 85. Only respondents whose organizations had experienced an incident of workplace violence were asked this question. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.

20. Which of the following costs associated with incidents of workplace violence has your organization experienced?
Comparisons by organization staff size
Smaller organizations (1-99 employees) are more likely than larger organizations (100-2,499 employees) to report that they experienced temporary hiring costs associated with incidents of workplace violence.
Small organizations
Large organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
1 to 99 employees (50%)
100 to 499 employees (7%)
500 to 2,499 employees (5%)
Small organizations > large organizations
Larger organizations (25,000 or more employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (500-2,499 employees) to report that they experienced turnover related expenses associated with incidents of workplace violence.
Small organizations
Large organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
500 to 2,499 employees (10%)
25,000 or more employees (60%)
Large organizations > smaller organizations
Smaller organizations (1-99 employees) are more likely than larger organizations (100-2,499 employees) to report that they experienced increased legal expenses/higher utilization of legal staff associated with incidents of workplace violence.
Small organizations
Large organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
1 to 99 employees (63%)
100 to 499 employees (4%)
500 to 2,499 employees (10%)
Small organizations > larger organizations

21. Differences based on organization staff size
Which of the following costs associated with incidents of workplace violence has your organization experienced?(continued)
Comparisons by organization staff size (continued)
Larger organizations (25,000 or more employees) are more likely than smaller organizations (500-2,499 employees) to report that they experienced increased HR expenses associated with incidents of workplace violence.
Small organizations
Large organizations
Differences based on organization staff size
500 to 2,499 employees (5%)
25,000 or more employees (50%)
Larger organizations > smaller organizations

22. Demographics

23. Demographics: Organization Industry
Manufacturing
22%
Health care and social assistance
12%
Professional, scientific and technical services
Finance and insurance
10%
Educational services 8%
Transportation and warehousing 6%
Public administration
Retail trade 5%
Construction of buildings; heavy and civil engineering construction; specialty trade contractors 4%
Accommodation and food services 3%
Wholesale trade
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Religious, grant-making, civic, professional and similar organizations
Mining
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 2%
Real estate and rental and leasing
Utilities
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
Information, publishing industries 1%
Management of companies and enterprises
Repair and maintenance
Personal and laundry services 0%
Private households
Other services except public administration
Note: n = 326. Percentages do not total 100% due to multiple response options.

24. Demographics: Organization Sector

25. Demographics: Organization Staff Size
Note: n = 319. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.

26. Demographics: Other
Is your organization a single-unit company or a multi-unit company?
Does your organization have U.S.-based operations (business units) only or does it operate multinationally?
Single-unit company: A company in which the location and the company are one and the same.
34%
Multi-unit company: A company that has more than one location.
66%
U.S.-based operations only
77%
Multinational operations
24%
n = 327
n = 331
Are HR policies and practices determined by the multi-unit corporate headquarters, by each work location or both?
What is the HR department/function for which you responded throughout this survey?
Multi-unit headquarters determines HR policies and practices
49%
Each work location determines HR policies and practices 4%
A combination of both the work location and the multi-unit headquarters determine HR policies and practices
47%
Corporate (companywide)
64%
Business unit/division
18%
Facility/location
n = 226
n = 226
Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

27. SHRM Survey: Workplace Violence
Methodology
Response rate = 15%
Sample composed of 401 randomly selected HR professionals from SHRM’s membership.
Margin of error +/- 5%
Survey fielded May 9-27, 2011
For more poll findings, visit
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