Employee Safety During Financially Stressful and Reactive Times

Small business optimism has plummeted to a 25-year low. And consumers, the backbone of our economy, have pulled back on their spending in a big way.

That’s a lot for an organization to have to deal with. Especially because of the relative speed in which the economic circumstances have changed. 

With all else that employers are dealing with now, it’s important to remember that workplace violence is more likely to occur as people become more reactive due to rising stress levels during economically challenging times. 

We don’t know yet whether economic stress levels played a role in the tragic workplace violence death of a 60-year-old man at a family business in El Monte. But his killing during a confrontation over teens shoplifting $10 worth of masks is a stark reminder that when emotions run hot, violence is more likely to occur.

During ordinary times, when cooler heads prevail, something this senseless is less likely to happen. But, tragically this “invitee” sourced workplace violence incident did happen.

A life’s been lost, and others’ irreparably changed, over $10. 

I raise this incident to help your employees safely avoid physical harm from reactive people during times of financial stress.

I saw violence levels rise during different periods of economic instability throughout the 30 years that I investigated violence in the workplace and in the community.  And from that, I learned that you simply can’t take for granted the way in which people react when they’re stressed out.

And under California’s workplace violence prevention law, employers must provide employees with effective strategies to avoid physical harm from identifiable safety hazards.

Training your employees in strategies to avoid physical harm from workplace violence is the most important; yet, least understood requirement in California’s workplace violence prevention law. My free, on-demand, training, based upon what I learned during my 30 years of investigating violence in the workplace and in the community, takes the mystery out of training your employees in strategies to avoid physical harm. Doing so helps keep your employees safer while complying with California’s requirements. This training is available on demand so you can watch it when it’s convenient for you. 

Reading the Room

Emotions cloud judgment, which can then lead to taking the wrong actions. And there may be no turning back once things get set in motion.

So it’s critical for your employees to learn to keep their wits about themselves, and to not rush in to an escalating situation.

Being able to do so starts with reading the room: 

•  First and foremost, this means recognizing potential safety hazards before they become safety hazards. Allowing you to avoid a dangerous situation, or at a minimum, to have the3 opportunity to protect yourself should an attack start.
•  It means recognizing the tells for heightened reactivity.
•  And to remain calm while engaging with someone through proper breathing techniques, using your own body language to convey calm (while still being able to protect yourself if need be), and knowing when to speak, and when to listen.

Recognizing Changing Circumstances 

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson once said, “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”

And when it comes to workplace violence, there’s some truth to that. And that’s because violence is unpredictable. It doesn’t follow a standard progression. In fact, violence often just happens. A punch thrown without warning.

But, there are ways to recognize that violence is likely to occur, even if it’s just a split second before an attack is launched. Here’s what to look for:

•  As long as a person is talking, or even yelling, they’re less likely to attack. Partly that’s because it’s difficult to engage in a physical activity while talking, and partly that’s because venting helps release anger. But, if a combative person suddenly grows quiet, or goes from talking in sentences to single words, there’s a greater chance that an attack is about to happen.
•  Coiling. When getting ready to attack, people tighten up. Not unlike what snakes do before striking. Shoulders rise with the increased tension just prior to a strike. , Hands rise too. It takes too long to bring your hands up and then punch than it does when your hands are already elevated. A had is a weapon. So it’s critical to keep your eyes on the weapon. Seeing a reactive person’s hands rise or reposition into a striking position, is a strong indicator that an attack is about to happen. 
•  Closing distance. When a person keeps a bit of distance or hangs back, even if screaming or threatening you, that’s a sign that an attack is not immediate. But if he starts to close that distance he’s moving into position to attack. And will attack immediately once he’s within range.
•  Eyes fix on you. Anytime a reactive person focuses on you to the exclusion of everything else, an attack becomes more likely. When a person looks side to side, or past you, or down, he hasn’t decided to attack yet. But when that changes to a laser focus on you he’s decided to attack.

Surviving that First Strike 

The single most important step for your employees to avoid physical harm when attacked is to prevent that initial attack from putting them on the ground. The purpose of an attack is to put your employee on the ground, where the attacker can then do whatever he wishes. Here’s how to keep that from happening:

•  Most attacks start with a right hand punch. So if you recognize that an attack is imminent, expect it to come with a right hand punch intended to be a knockout punch. Yes. It’s possible the person could lead with his left. But since 90% of the population is right handed, playing the odds makes sense. Unlike boxing where you use a jab to set up the cross or hook, an attacker hits with his most powerful strike first.
•  The safe stance. The safe stance involves standing with your hands open and raised to just below eye height with your palms facing outward towards the reactive person. Standing this way does not amp up a tense situation making violence more likely, but does allow you to protect your head from a strike if need be. Visualize the way you’d try to calm someone down just by using your hands. In addition to be de-escalatory in nature, the safe stance allows you to protect yourself from a punch before it can knock you to the ground. 
•  Close distance. It seems counterintuitive to move closer to someone wanting to hurt you, but the most force a punch generates occurs at the point of full extension. By moving in close you jam the attacker. Yes getting hit still hurts, but it lacks the power to put you on the ground. And remaining close in makes it more difficult to throw strike after strike.

Interested in learning more about strategies to avoid physical harm and whether training your employees in self-defense is a good match for your organization. Schedule a free consultation.