How To Reduce The Risk Of Workplace Violence
August 4, 2010
In light of the recent workplace violence in Connecticut, I thought it would be a good idea to share the following articles:
Protecting Your Staff And Your Company
Preventing workplace violence means protecting your employees from injury and protecting your company from disruption and lawsuits. While it’s impossible to guarantee that an employee will never act violently in the workplace, you can use this information to dramatically lower the likelihood of it happening.
Photo Credit: sindesign
8 Tips On How Employers Can Minimize Risk Of Workplace Violence
January 22, 2010
I just read an excellent article from the The Houston Chronicle entitled “Employers can minimize risk of workplace violence.”
The author stresses these important points:
“While violence cannot always be anticipated, this does not relieve employers of their obligation to provide a safe workplace. First, federal law requires it. With the Department of Labor adding investigators and stepping up workplace safety enforcement, compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations should be a management priority. Second, workers compensation insurance provides Texas employers only limited protection against liability from the inevitable lawsuits following a workplace tragedy.”
Here are the the 8 Tips On How Employers Can Minimize Risk Of Workplace Violence from the article:
- Accept reality: The recent shootings reinforce the fact that the risk of workplace violence is omnipresent. Employers must be proactive to prevent or minimize exposure to such incidents.
- Use effective pre-employment documents and conduct background checks: An effective application coupled with valid legal releases and disclaimers provide key information on the applicant. Employers should conduct background investigations to discover prior convictions, litigation history, motor vehicle records, employment references, credit history, education records and other relevant background information concerning the applicant.
- Establish policies on workplace violence: Employers should establish a written zero-tolerance position on violence, threats or abusive language and make clear that any violation of these rules can be grounds for termination. A workplace violence policy should also include a procedure to confidentially report threats.
- Conduct substance-abuse testing: Private employers should test all applicants and employees for substance abuse to the extent allowed by law. Negative test results should be a condition of employment.
- Develop procedures for investigating threats: These procedures should include specific guidelines for conducting an investigation and interviewing witnesses and the individual who allegedly made the threat. To the extent necessary, employers should retain security consultants, psychologists, attorneys or other professionals for advice on how to handle threats quickly, effectively and legally.
- Train supervisors and employees: Supervisors should be instructed to identify violence risks and report all threats to management immediately. Supervisors should be trained in conflict resolution, stress management, managing change in the workplace and recognizing the early warning signs of violent employees. They should also be trained to be sensitive to the fact that seemingly small issues can suddenly escalate into workplace problems. Employees should be trained regarding their responsibility to report threats or violence.
- Implement an employee assistance program: EAPs can help employees who are having a difficult time handling stress in their lives.
- Audit and improve security measures: Employers should establish a relationship with local law enforcement officials and a security consultant. Employers should also conduct an audit to determine areas of vulnerability and/or procedural weaknesses. Basic systems for protecting property, such as lighting, pass keys or cards, intercoms, employee identification, surveillance or alarm equipment and other systems or devices should be considered.
Related Posts From FYI Screening:
Photo credit: Flickr
Top 10 Articles On Employee Screening
August 28, 2009
Since we’ve had an increase in readers to our employee screening blog, I thought it would be a good idea to make the new folks aware of our most viewed articles.
Here they are:
Want to learn more about employee background screening?
4 Common Lies Told By Job Candidates
November 7, 2008
Recent estimates suggest that over 50% of job applicants lie on their resumes. And when asked, nearly 70% of college graduates claim they would consider lying in order to get a job. For employers, this should be a major concern. At best, hiring an employee who lied on her resume wastes valuable time and resources. At worst, it can lead to workplace violence, theft, and negligent hiring lawsuits.
As applicants become increasingly comfortable with lying to potential employers, screening and background checks have never been more important. Today, I’ll expose 4 of the most common lies told by job candidates.
Lie #1: “Yes, I Earned That Degree”
Applicants lie about the degrees they’ve earned all the time. In some cases, they may have attended the school, but never finished their coursework. In other cases, they may have never attended the school in the first place. It’s a common lie because employers often fail to verify the information.
Lie #2: “I Don’t Have A Criminal Record”
Sometimes, applicants will lie outright about their criminal past. Other times, they’ll change small details such as how their name is spelled, the date they were born, or the cities in which they’ve lived. This can be a major hiring issue and employers need to carefully validate what they’re being told.
Lie #3: “I’ve Been Steadily Employed”
A lot of applicants realize that a gap in their employment history raises eyebrows. From an employer’s perspective, the gap may imply that the applicant spent in prison. So, candidates will lie about it, disguising gaps by changing dates or even creating jobs from thin air.
Lie #4: “My Salary At My Previous Job Was…”
Potential hires often inflate their salaries to give them more leverage over future salary negotiations. Offering a compensation package based upon misleading salary information can cost an employer tens of thousands of dollars.
Finding The Truth
Hiring an employee who has lied on their resume or application has become a significant problem for employers. But, the lies can be easily exposed by your hiring staff or an employee screening service. By doing extensive background checks on applicants, you can discover the truth. And that can make your business less vulnerable to a bad hire.
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Tags: Workplace Violence, Negligent Hiring Lawsuits, Gaps in Employment, Employment Background Checks
Photo Credit: ktylerconk
Employee Screening Articles For October
October 31, 2008
In case you missed any of our employee screening articles for October, here’s a quick recap:
Sex Offenders and Halloween Safety Tips- Part 2
Sex Offenders and Halloween Safety Tips
Pre-Employment Drug Testing For Teachers
Background Checks For The Education Industry
Background Checks For Temporary Employees
Do You Have a Sex Offender Working For You?
Immigration Crackdown - HR Director Indicted
Drug-Free Work Week
Why Gaps In Employment Are A Red Flag
Hiring For Hotels: Why Screening Is Essential
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Background Checks For Temporary Employees
October 21, 2008
Companies are becoming more aware of how a lack of employee screening increases their exposure to liability. As a result, they are taking measures to conduct background checks on all permanent staff. Oddly, many firms don’t use the same caution when bringing temp hires aboard. The main reason cited by many employers is that screening and background checks take valuable time. They slow the placement process, which is an important factor for short-term projects. But, sacrificing caution for expediency when hiring temporary staff can be catastrophic.
Screening Temporary Employees
A temporary hire can expose your firm to just as much risk as a permanent employee. After all, once they are on your premises, they will usually have the same level of access to computer files, customer databases, and other resources. The fact that a temp employee is only working on a short-term assignment is irrelevant. If you neglect to perform background checks, they still pose a significant risk.
Many employers think that since a temp hire receives a paycheck from a staffing firm, the employer cannot be held liable for that hire’s actions. So, they decide against screening temporary employees. That’s a mistake. And it can potentially cost an employer millions of dollars. In truth, employers can be held liable for the actions of a temp hire. If they disrupt the workplace and harm your staff or customers, your firm can be sued.
How To Avoid Unnecessary Risk
Hiring an employee always carries an inherent risk, regardless of whether that employee is hired on a temporary or permanent basis. You should take preventative measures to protect your staff, your workplace, and the core assets upon which your business relies. At the very least, screen temporary employees as carefully as you screen your permanent staff.
To further reduce your company’s liability, perform comprehensive background checks that search county court records for past criminal convictions. Studies show that temp hires often have criminal records and other issues that can lead to problems if you hire them. Remember, one bad temporary employee can lead to a million-dollar negligent hiring lawsuit. Insulate your business by screening them.
Related Posts:
Does Your Company Do Employment Background Checks On Outside Vendors?
4 Tips on How to Avoid Negligent Hiring Lawsuits
5 Reasons To Do Employee Background Checks
4 Questions Employers Have About Employee Screening
Photo Credit: Bludgeoner86
Hiring For Hotels: Why Screening Is Essential
October 1, 2008
While every business needs to screen both potential and current employees, it’s critical for the hotel and hospitality industry. Hotels, motels and any establishment that offers lodging has a unique level of exposure if a bad hire is brought aboard. When background checks and proper screening protocols slip through the cracks, job candidates who represent a danger to guests and staff might be hired. And the results can be devastating.
When Background Checks Aren’t Done
In March of this year, Spring Break in Panama City, Florida was in full swing. Throngs of young people had descended upon the city to enjoy time away with their friends. An 18-year-old from Tuscaloosa, Alabama was among them and was staying at one of the many hotels that litter the city. A man named Shawn Wuertley worked at the hotel as a security guard. At 1:00 a.m., Wuertley entered the teen’s room and attacked her. The struggle ended when Wuertley threw the teenager off her room’s balcony.
She was on the 6th floor, yet lived.
Because of the incident, background checks were done. The hotel was stunned to learn that Wuertley had a criminal record in Indiana and had served time in prison between 1998 and 2005.
Screening Hotel Employees
While the incident in Panama City received national attention, it’s far from being an isolated event. There are many examples that illustrate the need for more rigorous hiring practices for hotel employees. That includes screening current hotel staff on a recurring basis as well as doing exhaustive background checks for prospective hires.
The people whom you employ to address and take care of guests have an incredible amount of exposure to those guests. They encounter them in secluded hallways. They clean their rooms and serve them food. Each case presents a potential risk. Whether you’re hiring room service staff, security guards, or housekeeping employees, your hiring practices should include intense screening and thorough employee background checks. Your guests’ safety may depend upon it.
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Can You Tell If Your Applicant Is Lying?
September 26, 2008
It’s estimated that nearly 30% of job applicants lie on their resumes. Millions of candidates misrepresent their education, work history, and qualifications. Even worse, they might be hiding a criminal past. According to ADP Screening and Selection, out of over 2 million background checks performed in 2001, over 40% of applicants lied about their past employment or education.
Some HR executives are confident that their interviewing skills can help them identify liars. But, studies show that visual clues are often misleading. And the cost of hiring a bad employee can be enormous.
When Visual Clues Are Unreliable
HR professionals often think that a lack of eye contact or excessive squirming is evidence that a potential hire is lying. But, such visual clues are unreliable. A candidate who doesn’t maintain eye contact and fidgets during an interview may be well-qualified, yet simply nervous. Eliminating him from the applicant pool can be a lost opportunity for an organization. What’s more, millions of people are adept at lying. Lacking visual evidence of dishonesty, an HR executive may hire a candidate who has misrepresented himself.
The True Cost Of A Bad Hire
Hiring someone who has lied on his resume can create a number of costly problems for a business. For example, if a new employee lied about his qualifications, a business might be forced to waste time training that employee or looking for another candidate. If a criminal history remains hidden, the costs can be much higher. Employee theft, workplace violence, and substance abuse can lead to expensive negligent hiring lawsuits. The true cost of hiring a bad employee can be unfathomable.
Background Checks Are Essential
Because employers and HR professionals can’t depend upon visual clues to identify lying applicants, they must perform comprehensive background checks. Checking references, calling past employers, and looking for hidden criminal records is the only reliable way to reveal whether an applicant is misrepresenting himself. If your business is hiring employees without conducting background checks, you are exposing your company to unnecessary risk.
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