Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/534897
June 29 - July 20, 2015 4 Working World l WorkingWorld.com FEATURED ARTICLE by Timothy Dimoff D isgruntled employees, workplace bullies, active-shooter situations, illegal drug use, ex-spouses and dissatisfied clients – all can be found in a random sampling of the 2 million people affected by workplace violence in the United States, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. "Of course, of the millions of reported cases, there are many more that go unreported; workplace violence includes any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site," says Timothy Dimoff, one of the nation's leading voices in personal and corporate security who has worked with the U.S. Army, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, corporations, universities and non-profit groups. "From demeaning jokes to sexual innuendos to genuine fear of shots fired at work, hiring managers and their bosses need to understand these problems of human nature and know how to react. In my decades of experience with law enforcement and as a security entrepreneur, I've seen the evolution of workplace violence and management often do not know how to respond." Dimoff, founder and president of SACS Consulting & Investigative Services, Inc., (www.sacsconsulting.com), which analyzes and overhauls security for large public and private facilities, reviews today's problems and offers a path for conflict resolution and prevention. • Inadequate use of hiring tools: Know who you're hiring! "I can't emphasize this enough; this is the age of information, yet potential employees often provide falsified or misleading details," Dimoff says. "With so many candidates and so much information available today, employers often overlook useful tools in a hurry-up effort to maintain productivity with a premature hire." There are many resources, including drug testing acknowledgment and consent forms; fully understanding laws including the Fair Labor Standards Act, equal employment opportunity guidelines and military leave guidelines; and simply knowing how to ask revealing questions to applicants. • Workplace intimidation & cyberbullying: Bullying is not exclusive to the schoolyard; it can follow adults into the workplace, and even home via email, texts and social media. "The first and best thing employers can do is prevention, and you do that by creating a positive and fair company culture," Dimoff says. "Next, implement a zero tolerance policy for bullying; encourage employees to document and report bullying, and take those accusations seriously. Hold occasional staff meetings so that employees are taught to recognize signs of bullying and everyone is reminded of the zero tolerance policy." • Gun violence: It can happen at what appear to be the most secure places in the world, and it can happen to the most innocent among us. Nidal 4 Ways the Workplace Has Become More Dangerous Tips for Preventing & Handling Disaster & Distress on the Job "From demeaning jokes to sexual innuendos to genuine fear of shots fired at work, hiring managers and their bosses need to understand these problems of human nature and know how to react."