Workplace Violence Awareness

Training:
Presented by:
Corporate Security
Updated: September 2022
Agenda:
1. Training Objectives
2. Overview
3. Definition
4. Impact
5. Types of violence
6. Factors that increases changes
7. Warning signs
8. Response to workplace violence
9. Prevention
10.Reporting
Training Objectives:
After completion of this training, the participant
will be able to:
1. Know what is meant by the term workplace
violence.
2. Know what actions are considered to be
workplace violence.
3. Understand the factors that increases the risk
to workplace violence.
4. Understand how to report incidents of
workplace violence.

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Overview:
1. NOV strives in creating a safe working
environment for all its employees; free of fear and
work place violence.
2. The Company has a zero tolerance policy for acts
or threats of violence. This includes acts and
threats of violence on NOV premises, as well as
off-site in connection with Company-related
activities.

Reference to NOV Code of Business

Conduct and Ethics
https://nov.sharepoint.com/sites/NOVCompliance
/SitePages/Code-of-Conduct.aspx

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 Definition of Workplace Violence:

➢ Workplace violence is any act or threat of physical

violence, harassment, intimidation, or other
threatening disruptive behaviour that occurs at the
work place or related location.
➢ It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical
assaults and even homicide. It can affect and involve
employees, clients, customers, spouses and visitors.

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What is Workplace Violence?

➢ It is any act that threatens the employee’s safety.

➢ Negatively impacts the employee’s physical or
psychological wellbeing.
➢ Damages the organisation’s property.

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Organizational impact:

1. Workplace violence/threats affects the morale of employees

2. There is a physical and psychological impact on the
individual and larger workforce.
3. Productivity of employee/victim is affected.
4. Poor work performance.
5. Shame and embarrassment.
6. Distraction of employee and management.
7. Lack of adherence to the Occupational Health and Safety
legislation.
8. Organisational liability and bad publicity (image).
9. After an event there is associated cost, absenteeism (sick
leave) increases and a general disruption of the workplace.

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Four categories responsible for workplace
violence:
❖ Type 1: Violent acts by
criminals who have no other
connection with the
workplace but enter to
commit a crime.
❖ Type 2: Violent acts
directed at employees by
customers, clients,
patients, students or others
whom an organization
provides services to.
❖ Type 3: Violent acts
against coworkers,
supervisors, or
managers by a present
or former employee.
❖ Type 4: Violent acts
committed in the workplace
by someone who doesn’t
work there but has a personal
relationship with an
employee – an abusive
spouse or domestic partner.
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Types of workplace violence:
➢ Theft.
➢ Insubordination.
➢ Fights, beatings and
➢ Threatening behaviour (e.g. stabbings.
shaking fists, throwing
objects). ➢ Vandalism and arson.
➢ Threats and verbal ➢ Mobbing and or bullying
intimidation. (e.g. where a group of
employees spread
➢ Harassment. rumours, or insult an
➢ Sexual assault. employee).

➢ Stalking. ➢ Domestic violence spill-

over.
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Factors that increases risk and probability:

➢ Exchange of money.
➢ Delivery of goods and services.
➢ Working alone or in small teams.
➢ Working late night or during early morning hours.
➢ Working in high crime areas.
➢ Guarding valuable property or possessions.
➢ Working during periods of intense organisational change
(e.g. strikes, downsizing).

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Warning Signs:
The path towards workplace violence…

Is an evolutionary one…

It builds up over time…

There are always warning signs along the way!

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 Warning signs and awareness:

➢ Awareness + Action = Prevention

➢ It is important to be aware that there is no specific
profile of a workplace violence offender. However
there are specific “behaviours” that an individual
routinely displays which may provide valuable
information regarding the potential that a person
may engage in future violence.
➢ The best predictor for future behaviour, is past
behaviour.

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Behaviours of concern:

There are behaviours that suggest the potential for future

violence. While behaviours of concern may or may not escalate
into more severe behaviour, they are harmful and warrant
attention, or even possible intervention.
Behaviours of concern are:
➢ Disruptive
➢ Aggressive
➢ Hostile
➢ Emotionally Abusive.

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 Behaviours of concern:
➢ Prolonged Anger. ➢ Extreme Anxiety.

➢ Holding Grudges. ➢ Extreme Sadness.

➢ Blaming others for ➢ Substance dependency.

problems. ➢ Obsessions.
➢ History of threats/violent ➢ Extreme fascination with
acts. weapons.
➢ Hypersensitivity to ➢ Preoccupation with
Criticism. violent themes.
In some cases, there may be an innocent explanation for the behaviors of concern one
might observe in the workplace. It is important to look for a pattern of behaviors that
gives you cause for concern.

We all have a bad day, occasionally.

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Flashpoint:
➢ Often, there is a triggering event that causes a violent flashpoint
in someone’s professional or personal life that causes them to
act out in the workplace.
➢ Those that engage in violent behaviour, many times, do so as a
result of a loss, either real or perceived, in the their personal or
professional life.
Trigger event may be the results of:
Professional Life:
Personal Life:
➢ Reprimand
➢ Financial trouble
➢ Termination
➢ Separation/Divorce/ Infidelity.
➢ Lay-off
➢ Death of a family member.
➢ Unmet expectations
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Immediate Response:

➢ Ask the person to stop.

➢ If confronted with an aggressive individual;
remain calm and speak slowly.
➢ Avoid escalating the situation.
➢ Do not lose your temper, even if the comments
that are being made are upsetting you.

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 Immediate Response:
➢ Move away and if possible, move to a position where
an object (chair or table) is between you and the
individual.
➢ Pay attention to the other person so they know you
are interested in their problems… Try not to sound
cold or condescending.
➢ Place yourself in a position where the person cannot
block your way to an exit.
➢ Report the incident immediately to Human Resources
and your line manager.
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Prevention - Know the drill:
➢ Never act in a way that could threaten or
intimidate others.
➢ Avoid inappropriate behavior that could be
considered harassment, even if you do not mean
any harm (e.g. inappropriate jokes or banter).
➢ Remember that behavior you find acceptable
could offend someone else.
➢ Report any behavior you think is inappropriate.

Reference to NOV Code of Business Conduct and Ethics:

https://nov.sharepoint.com/sites/NOVCompliance/SitePages/Code-of-
Conduct.aspx
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Prevention:
➢ Foster a respectful workplace.
➢ Have a policy for Workplace Violence.
➢ Train employees and management (creating awareness). Part
of Crisis Management.
➢ Report behaviour that raises concerns.
➢ Have an open door policy for employees to discuss
workplace concerns and mental health.
➢ Foster a reporting culture without ridicule.
➢ Create a caring atmosphere for all employees.
➢ Implement Active Shooter training and procedure.

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Stopping Harassment:
1. S – Source – The source of the disrespectful behaviour has the
responsibility to stop behaving in such a manner. E.g. What
about “us”? Are we part of the problem? Have we added to
that behaviour ?
2. T – Target – The target/victim must help confront the
Harassment/harasser. If we are offended by other people’s
actions/behaviour, we need to let them to know and ask them
to stop.
3. O – Observer – Those who observe the disrespectful/harassing
behaviour, have a responsibility to stop or report it. Maybe, the
source of disrespectful behaviour may not even know that
his/her behaviour is offensive to others.
4. P – Person in Authority – Every person in authority has the duty
to keep the workplace free from offensive and harassing
behaviour.

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Reporting:
NOV fully supports each employee when they need to seek
guidance and report workplace concerns. By asking questions and
speaking up about our concerns, we are helping to preserve our
culture of employee workplace safety. If you wish to raise a
question or concern, NOV encourages you to contact:
➢ Your direct manager or supervisor
➢ Human Resources Manager
➢ Ethics Hotline
➢ Email risk.mitigation@nov.com
➢ Corporate Security: OT-USA-GSOC@NOV.com
➢ NOV GSOC Hotline at +1-713-634-3356/7 (24/7).

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Questions?

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