Case Study – Work Violence

1. Problem definition
Workplace violence is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior
that occurs at the work site. It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide.

The case study focuses on two shooting incidents at workplaces. Focusing in its closure on recommendations for reducing or
preventing workplace violence abounds.

2. Justification of the Problem

Root cause analysis results for both incidents:

Incident 1 – DaimlerChrysler / Toledo, Ohio

The shooter was under high stress professionally, emotionally and on the personal level.
• He was disciplined the day before the shooting over what was called minor infraction.
• He felt being singled out by supervisors
• He was divorced
• He had 2 drug misdemeanours awaiting court decision.

The shooter had had no prior reported violence or even threats towards other co-workers.

Incident 2 – Lockheed Martin shooting

The shooter was known to be a racist, he was reported repeatedly to management for racial threats. He previously refused to
attend “Anger Management and Diversity” courses.

Factors that led to the shootings:

1. Stressful working environment, not taking into consideration employees personal, emotional and psychological needs.
Even if it was financially satisfying.
2. A must have been a zero-tolerated unethical behavior (e.g. Racism and Harassment) with which management was lenient
to take decisive actions.
3. List of Alternatives
1. Set clear policies and procedures that prevents workplace violence

2. Modify the recruitment process to minimize the probability of hiring violent or racist personalities.

3. Provide social/psychological support to employees.

4. Evaluate Alternatives
1. Imbed anti-harassment in workplace values & set clear policies and procedures that prevents workplace violence

In order for this alternative to succeed in achieving its goal, it should cover:

• A zero-tolerance policy towards all types of Harassment including racism.

• Create more than one communication channels for employees to report incidents and doubts. Those channels must ensure
anonymousness and include anti-retaliation procedures.
• Take the investigations seriously.
• Encourage employees to report any harassment incident or suspicious violence probability.

This approach gives the employees both confidence and a feeling of safety reporting harassment and violence.

2. Modify the recruitment process to minimize the probability of hiring violent or racist personalities.

• HR recruitment process must put controls to judge interview candidates and filter out suspiciously violent ones.
• Those processes may include personality tests, background checks, etc.
• Orient candidates on the policies.

This approach gives the employees and new hires a feeling of comfort and safety. In addition, it cuts the probability of hiring
violent people.

3. Provide social/psychological consultation to employees.

• Provide social and/or psychological consultation to employees, through competitive HR personnel or contracted
psychiatrists.
• Encourage employees to seek consultation, this be done through trainings, ensure the privacy and instate a feeling of
security and comfort towards this service.
• Create a feedback process to ensure a healthy work environment, that caters for employees’ professional needs and taking
into consideration their personal and phycological welfare.

5. Recommendations
Alternatives 1 - Imbed anti-harassment in workplace values & set clear policies and procedures that prevents workplace violence

Alternatives 3 – Provide social/psychological consultation to employees

Those two alternatives are recommended at a higher priority, since both concerns current employees’ welfare and can get fast
employees buy-in results.