What is VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION?
• Violence can range from a life-threatening physical attack to verbal abuse. • Verbal abuse and threats are the most common type of incident. Agreeing a definition is the first step in setting up a system to prevent, control and manage the issue of violence at work. The definition will help decide what the policy on violence should cover. Why is it important? • Violence at work leads to poor morale among staff and a poor image for the organisation. • Staff recruitment and retention become difficult. • Extra costs for absenteeism, higher insurance premiums and compensation payments can be incurred. • For employees, violence can cause pain, distress, disability and even death. • Persistent verbal abuse or threats can also damage employees’ health through anxiety or stress. Who is affected/most at risk? Anyone whose job requires them to deal with the public can be at risk from violence. This can include employees engaged in giving a service, education, caring professions, cash transactio
