| The 2008 article From the Editor-in-Chief's Desk: The | | | | able to make financial ends meet, and the intense |
| "Workplace-During-Recession" Reminding Us of | | | | pressure that can be put on personal and work |
| Employee Rights and Responsibilities, published by | | | | relationships when so many worries pile up - make |
| Margaret H. Vickers in the Employee Responsibilities | | | | recessions a contributing factor for workplace |
| and Rights Journal states that "many workplaces | | | | violence. |
| take on a subtle but definite shift in identity when | | | | The Catch-22 |
| the R-word (recession) is on the horizon. However, | | | | Because recession often forces an organization to |
| the outcome of this identity additive is less than | | | | cut costs, many elect to forgo thorough |
| subtle. For workers who are marginalized for any | | | | pre-employment screening and/or continued |
| reason... it's a time to be nervous." Workers at the | | | | employment screening. Right when the need is most |
| margins, those most likely to be affected by | | | | pressing, many companies remove one of the most |
| recession, are also the most likely to "snap" a work. | | | | important barriers to workplace violence. Although it's |
| There are three primary pressures that may increase | | | | not entirely necessary to step up screening during a |
| anxiety for workers during a recession: | | | | recession, it's never advisable to reduce or eliminate |
| - Job losses | | | | the practice. |
| - Job uncertainty | | | | According to the U.S. Office of Personnel |
| - Slashed budgets | | | | Management, "pre-employment screening is an |
| These factors are often in addition to personal issues | | | | important part of workplace violence prevention." |
| employees often face such as financial or relationship | | | | Recession, which promotes an environment of |
| worries. | | | | increased worker stress, is a major contributing |
| Reason to Worry | | | | factor to workplace violence. Companies that have a |
| Experts indicate that there is reason to worry. Most | | | | sound pre-employment screening plan in place, in |
| perpetrators of workplace violence seem completely | | | | addition to education and response policies, may |
| "normal" before an incident. But, fear can be a | | | | experience less violence than workplaces that don't |
| powerful persuader - fear of losing a job, not being | | | | screen workers. |