Violence In The Workplace
Violence in the Workplace Paper
Irma Tapia Grajeda
University of Phoenix
Comm/110: Introduction to Oral Communication
Workshop 2
Instructor: Debra Rocha
March 16, 2004
Violence in the Workplace Paper
Violence in the workplace is a serious and problematic issue plaguing corporate America. Workplace violence is violence or the threat of violence against employees or the organization. “According to the Occupational Safety and health Administration (OSHA), it can occur at or outside the workplace and can range from verbal abuse to physical assaults and homicide (Zinkewicz, 2003).” Workplace violence can have devastating consequences. In fact workplace violence is one of the primary workplace hazards leading to fatalities and even death. This paper will define workplace violence and where it exists. In addition this paper will illustrate how workplace violence is manifested. Lastly, the writer will identify and discuss trends.
Definition of Violence
Violence according to Dictionary.Com (2004) is physical force exerted for the purpose of violating, damaging, or abusing. The definition of workplace violence goes beyond the definition provided by Dictionnary.com. According to the writer, workplace violence should be defined as any action that may threaten the safety of an employee or the organization and its stakeholders. Threats can manifest themselves both verbally and physically causing either physical or psychological damage. “Simply stated, workplace violence is violence or the threat of violence against workers (Zinkewicz, 2003).”
According to the USDA Handbook on Workplace Violence Prevention and Response (1998), workplace violence can be any act of physical violence, threats of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening, disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. Workplace violence can affect or involve employees, visitors, contractors, clients, and consumers. Violence is often triggered...
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