| When a customer, patient or client enters a | | | | Rather than focus on 'controlling' or 'changing' the |
| workplace, he or she does not make decision to be | | | | behaviours of the customer/client, employees should |
| violent or not based on the reading of a poster | | | | be encouraged to think about their safety and their |
| stating "violence will not be tolerated". | | | | personal response to violence; it's about managing |
| Violence generally occurs on a continuum rather than | | | | ourselves and the situation, not controlling the other |
| crisis out of nowhere. Lineups, delays, negative news, | | | | party. The self realization that the worker's response |
| service issues, fines, payment issues, etc create the | | | | to customer behaviours can and often will be a major |
| potential for any person to become agitated. | | | | determinant in the escalation or de-escalation of |
| Customers will raise their voice, perhaps swear and | | | | customer anger; understanding that their non-verbal |
| often move into the personal space of the employee. | | | | and verbal communication can not only escalate |
| In many workplaces, employees are instructed to set | | | | customer anger but also impede the worker's safe |
| limits with the escalating customer and inform them | | | | and effective response to the situation. |
| that "I don't have to take it". Some employees will | | | | Threat Assessment, active listening, empathy and |
| even go as far as pointing at the zero tolerance | | | | options are a part of the defusing process; however, |
| poster plastered on the wall. This of course has | | | | worker attitude and response are critical. |
| nothing to do with defusing of customer anger or | | | | By providing effective workplace violence prevention |
| employee safety. | | | | training, employees will recognize that assuming |
| Ultimately Zero Tolerance should mean, what the | | | | responsibility for their own safety is paramount and |
| organization is going to do in response to a situation | | | | they do have safe and effective options for |
| that hopefully the employee has safely responded to; | | | | responding to conflict and violence. |
| not "the frontline doesn't have to take it". | | | | |