The Power of Violence
Violence impairs efficiency and wastes resources. It destroys staff morale, motivation and performance. It leads those worst affected to become unwell and prompts others to quit their job.
Failing to control the threat of violence at a workplace presents a real risk of:
- Death, injury, trauma, debilitation and incapacitation – to workers and members of the public alike
- Lower productivity – caused by disruption at the time of the incident and afterwards through the effects on staff morale and motivation
- Damaged corporate image – the stigma of allegations of neglect being made against the organisation and it’s senior officials
- Compensation payouts
- Legal costs – defending against accusations in Tribunals and Courts
- Premature pension payments – to staff who have been incapacitated and forced to retire pre term
- Poor working relations – and reducing employee /employer loyalty
- Staff taking more time off work sick
- Problems recruiting (and keeping) quality staff
- Escalating PL Insurance Premiums
- Closure of the workplace
Left uncontrolled, violence can force a business to close down
The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 ensures that victims of an organisation’s negligence will be compensated. But, as the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has warned, many policies contain a clause which, if there has been non compliance with ‘normal insurance conditions’, entitles insurers to reclaim back from the employer any compensation that has to be paid out. So, a significant breach of the Health & Safety law will entitle insurers to take recovery action against their insured and could mean that the full cost burden of a claim could fall upon the employer to pay. Inability to immediately redress the safety deficiencies complained of could result in insurers having no option but to suspend cover, requiring a full stop in trading.