Workplace violence - the security guard solution

Workplace violence is sadly and shockingly very common, and it's important to be prepared in case these unfortunate incidents happen in your workplace. Workplace violence can be anything from assault to homicide and everything in between, and it often occurs because employees are either afraid of losing their jobs, or they have already lost their jobs. The level of stress this can cause often leads to irrational, out of character behavior that's difficult to predict.

How common is workplace violence?

Many people are shocked at just how common workplace violence is. In fact, as many as two million Americans are the victims of workplace violence every single year. More alarmingly, homicides are the second leading cause of workplace-related deaths and the most common form of workplace-related death for women. This results in billions of dollars of legal costs for companies around the world.

To prevent this from happening, it's very important to have at least one security guard on the premises for assistance. Security guards are not only able to disarm an attacker if necessary, but they are also trained to keep an eye out for the precursors to violent behavior. This way, they can be prepared to stop an attacker before their violent behavior gets serious. Additionally, many companies have weapons regulations and written policies in place to prevent violence.

Choosing a level 4 certified security officer

In particular, it is very helpful to have a level 4 certified security officer in place during any terminations. They should be in plain clothes so as not to tip the employee off to their presence. This will help everyone present feel safe in the event of an unexpected negative reaction to the termination. Level 4 security officers are highly trained not only in physical security techniques, but also in de-escalation techniques, so they can help you talk about the situation down before it becomes more serious.

Although you may believe that workplace violence could never happen in your office, these behaviors are very difficult to predict. Having a security guard in place is the best way to keep everyone in your office safe in the event of an assault or more serious violent incident.