4. “It's Part of the Job”: Violence at Work
| Date | 01 May 1987 |
| Published date | 01 May 1987 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb055106 |
| Pages | 30-40 |
| Author | Kate Painter |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
4.
"It's Part of the Job":
Violence at Work
by Kate Painter
Introduction
In 1986, the issue of violence at work was thrust into the arena of public debate
by the disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh and the deaths of three social workers in
the course of their duties. These atypical cases represent the extreme end of a
continuum of violence and vulnerability, but they were sufficient to warrant the
formation of a Government committee chaired by Lady Trumpington, parliamentary
Under Secretary for Health. The aim of the committee is to develop a common
approach to violence across the health, social services and social security fields.
However, the problem of violence in the workplace is not new. In 1982, the TUC
held a conference for union representatives of members exposed to assault from
members of the public. The magnitude of the problem seemed to be indicated by
the broad range of occupations at risk: teachers, social workers, NHS staff, housing
officers, public transport workers, rent collectors, postmen, licensed house staff, etc.
Despite the recognition, five years later, at a similar conference, the same groups
were identified as vulnerable, and yet no systematic approach to violence by either
management, unions or government has been developed. Talking about violence has
become a popular pastime, but for the most part, it has not been matched by
action[1
].
Defining the Problem
The major stumbling block to the development of a coherent policy for solving the
problem is one of definition. What constitutes a violent incident is dependent on
a number of intervening variables, including the vulnerability of the parties involved.
This latter quality is influenced by an individual's social characteristics: gender, race,
age,
class, health, temperament and appearance. Moreover, the global use of the
term "violence" masks very different kinds of behaviour, across a bewildering variety
of employment settings.
This section examines the specific topic of violence to staff in the public service sector.
Though the type of violence differs across specific occupational groupings (social
work, housing, teaching, policing, nursing), what is common to all such incidents
is not only a dispute between victim and aggressor, but the existence of an
employment relationship between the three interested parties, employer, employee
and employee representatives. Consequently, the nature and impact of violence on
public services will be examined in terms of this relationship in order to examine
policies and procedures aimed at minimising the risk of violence at work.
Violence can take many forms. Before discussing problems of collecting evidence
as to the incidence of violence in the public service sector, it is necessary to define
what is meant by a violent incident. Research so far indicates that violence
encompasses a range of behaviours from:
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