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Workplace violence ranges from threats to verbal abuse and ultimately to physical assaults and homicide. It can occur at the workplace or otherwise be related to the workplace even if it doesn’t occur at the physical work location. Without a doubt, it is a growing concern for both employers and employees. VHMA’s 2019 February Management Survey asked veterinary practice managers where things currently stand in their practice.

When asked “Has your practice ever experienced a workplace violence situation (involving employees and/or clients)?” sadly, 35% of the managers answered yes to this question.

When asked “If yes, what type of workplace violence situation was your practice presented with?" By far the biggest perpetrators of violence in the veterinary practices surveyed were clients followed by employees of the practice.

Regardless of the type of violence, it is prevalent enough that practices feel the need to put in place policies and procedures to prevent workplace violence and educate employees about how to protect themselves and others. Almost 2/3 of the managers’ surveyed respondents answered “yes” having a written policy or procedure ensuring employee/client safety. Keep in mind, while a written policy by itself cannot stop a random unknown shooter, a policy CAN help set expectations about behavior in the workplace and educate employees about the kinds of behavior and conversations that can be red flags. The policy can also help demonstrate the practice’s efforts to protect its employees should it be involved in legal action following an incident. 80% of the managers who responded said their practice has a written policy banning weapons, drugs and violent or threatening behavior by employees in the workplace. Unfortunately, while most practices have workplace violence policies in place, only about 30% do any training related to this topic.

When asked about security features in the practice lighting, video surveillance and limited public access to most of the facility were the most frequently cited.

Workplace violence is a scary issue, and most small businesses are less prepared to deal with this issue than larger companies with extensive resources. Some of the actions a practice should consider include:

1. Establish a policy regarding workplace violence. Some topics to include are:
   • Zero tolerance for violent behavior
   • List and description of prohibited conduct
   • Consequences for such behavior
   • Required employee training
   • Grievance procedures
   • Types of dangerous situations that should be reported to management, to whom they should be reported and how
2. Establish emergency action plans for various kinds of situations including exit strategies for all employees
3. Educate all employees about reporting unusual client, vendor or employee behavior; it is not tattling and is the responsible action to take
4. Setup a confidential way for people to report dangerous situations
5. Design and regularly provide employee training. Some topics to include are:
   • Red flag behavior or conversation that should be reported to management
   • The types of situations that may arise and what to do
   • Personal safety training from an outside expert
6. Perform background investigations during the hiring process
7. Annual review of the premises to identify any vulnerabilities that could contribute to violent behavior
8. Follow up promptly on all concerns and reports; take action where needed