The Permissive Environment is the Perpetrator

The Permissive Environment Is The Suspect...Using a Threat Assessment Team or a trained group
The permissive and participatory conduct whichofindividuals would be the proper approach in this
mostemployees take for granted,eventually escalatesscenarioand in future incidents. The conduct of the
into themore serious assaultive behavior commonlyThreat
referred to asemployee on employee workplaceAssessment Process would involve the total analysis
violence starts withinnuendos, a bad word, or simpleofinformation and intelligence available about
jokes taken out of contextor used to inflametheparticipants, the incident and the environment in
another. Initiation of a proper andthoroughorder torender a fair and impartial outcome. Being
investigation is possible under the auspices of aproperly trainedis key. Knowledge of how to conduct
Threat Assessment Team. Banter betweena fact findinginvestigation is critical to the successful
employees if leftalone by supervisors becomes tensedetermination ofthe type of disciplinary action or
and often results in amore aggressive response. Thecriminal prosecutionmight bring. The process should
truth of the matter is that inmost cases this banter issynchronized and wellcoordinated and reflective of
perceived as harmless shop talk.the organization's leadershipteam if possible to insure
Supervisors often believe that this healthy shop talkthat the preliminaryresponsibility of conducting the
buildscamaraderie and does not detract fromfact finding investigativeprocess does not fall on the
performance. However,such permissive behaviorshoulders of the Security
empowers the potential perpetratorwho may feel heDirector only. The major players of the Threat
enjoys the partiality of the supervisor.Assessment
After all, he does his job, pumps out the numbersTeam should include at a minimum: the Immediate
and meetsthe "bosses" demands. Regardless of theSupervisor,
relationship and hisperformance, definite and clearPersonnel & Human Resource Managers, Employee
action should be takeninitially to curtail the potential ofAssistance,
an explosive situationfrom impacting the workplace.Safety and Security Managers, to insure a thorough
The spontaneous reaction bythe victim is surprisingThreat
and could be sufficiently volatileto affect bystandersAssessment (Investigation) is conducted.
as well.In Assessing the above scenario the root cause of
Remembering that the business owner istheconfrontation was the unabated name calling,
ultimatelyresponsible for the actions they fail to takeverbal abuseand innuendos, in a contributory and
in anysituation places the decision in question. Theimproperly supervisedenvironment. Supervisors who
prevention ofworkplace violence requires a proactivefail to step in can be heldcivilly liable and responsible
response. Securityis everyone's responsibility butfor their failure to actearly or appropriately to
ultimately but ultimatelymanagement's duty. Theprevent escalation orconfrontations. In cases of
exposure to violent behavior by nonemployees is yetdeath or serious injury betweenemployees or
another issue which will be presented infuture articles.customers, wrongful death law suits are oftenfiled in
In a permissive environment, the uninformedaddition to criminal prosecution. Not knowing is
employee has noidea that emotions tied into simplenolonger a legitimate excuse. When supervisors fail to
acts of harassment arean explosive combinationactappropriately, management has the burden of
often leading to a spontaneouscounter response byinvestigatingthe incident, dealing with the issue of the
the victim. While the response isunfortunate in termsaggressor overthe contributory behavior of the
of who ultimately precipitated theincident, the victiminstigator and decide onthe appropriate progressive
who is now taking the action into hishands becomesactions (disciplinary orreferral to local police)
the aggressor and must be held accountable.necessary.