Workplace violence refers to violence that originates from employees or employers and threatens employers and/or other employees.

The definition of work related violence that has received pan-European acceptance is as follows:

“incidents where people are abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work, involving an explicit or implicit challenge to their safety, well-being or health”.

This can involve violence resulting from industrial disputes committed by or against unions, although this is not a major factor in most incidents.

This definition establishes violence as a behaviour with the potential to cause harm. Broadly speaking there are three forms:

Violence in all its forms is a concern for staff and management alike. For employers, violence can lead to poor morale and a poor image for the organisation, making it difficult to recruit and keep staff. It can also mean extra costs, such as those associated with absenteeism, higher insurance premiums and legal fees, fines and compensation payments where negligence is proven.