| Have you ever considered how your employment | | | | behavioral interviewing techniques to filter out those |
| screening policy can be used to reduce workplace | | | | with aggressive and violent tendencies. The interview |
| violence? Why not try adopting a zero-tolerance | | | | should reinforce the zero-policy approach to |
| approach to violence and workplace theft? This can | | | | workplace violence, and wherever relevant the policy |
| have a dramatic effect of the attitude of employees | | | | must be applied firmly without any agreements on |
| and their own rejection of anybody with a violent or | | | | three months trials for good behavior. No one with |
| aggressive personality. | | | | aggressive tendencies should be employed. |
| If your company does not take a vigorous approach | | | | You can apply your own rules as to whom you |
| to eliminating workplace violence, you could find | | | | employ, as long as your employment screening |
| yourself guilty, if not of negligent hiring, then certainly of | | | | procedure is not based on race, religion, age or gender. |
| failing to protect your workforce from aggressive and | | | | You are not obliged to employ anyone with a history |
| violent behaviour. This type of violence can be very | | | | of aggression or violence, and if you are serious about |
| costly in terms of lost hours and even the loss of | | | | your policy, you must not do so. |
| valued employees who decide that enough is enough. | | | | Any applicant with something to hide in their past is |
| Payments for damages and legal costs can be very | | | | liable to be discouraged from applying, and keep in |
| high, and these can be mitigated somewhat by courts | | | | mind that the employment screening process is |
| that see that you have adopted a zero-tolerance | | | | designed to prevent you from being guilty of negligent |
| policy and are working hard to make the workplace a | | | | hiring as well as protecting existing employees. This will |
| safer environment for your employees. This type of | | | | result in greater productivity from your employees, and |
| policy must commence at the employment screening | | | | less of a chance that you could face a damages claim |
| stage with a clear statement of intent on all application | | | | for negligent hiring. |
| forms. | | | | You should also apply the zero-tolerance to your |
| The very first step in the employment screening | | | | existing workforce. The penalties for workplace |
| procedure that a job applicant comes across is the | | | | violence should clearly be stated on notice boards, and |
| application form. Your policy should be clearly stated | | | | where appropriate, discussed with unions. No union will |
| here. You should make clear that you have adopted a | | | | tolerate violence or theft from other employees and |
| zero-tolerance approach to workplace violence and | | | | union backing will send a very positive message of a |
| theft, and that all employees have bought into this. You | | | | combined policy to the whole workforce. |
| should state that employees do not tolerate | | | | The penalty for committing violence on a fellow |
| aggressive or violent behavior and that when this is | | | | employee must be clearly stated, and should be instant |
| brought to management's attention the employees | | | | dismissal with the loss of any rights that can be |
| concerned will be immediately dismissed without notice. | | | | withdrawn under the law of the day. If this includes |
| An effective employment screening policy starts with | | | | pension rights, this should also be applied. It should be |
| the application form; this should make it clear that all | | | | made clear that workplace violence will not be |
| references provided will be taken up and checked, and | | | | tolerated. This zero-tolerance policy should also be |
| that residential and occupational records for the past | | | | applied to theft from fellow employees. This is a |
| seven to ten years (you state which) must be | | | | heinous crime which again should not be tolerated. |
| complete. Unless a written explanation and proof is | | | | This is a problem that needs a vigorous approach and |
| provided, no gaps will be accepted and the applicant | | | | you should be aware that if this is a problem that you |
| need not apply. Any applicant with a criminal conviction | | | | have in your company, and you fail to tackle it properly, |
| for violence or theft need not apply and that driving | | | | you could find yourself on the end of a lawsuit for |
| records and criminal records will be searched. | | | | damages should one of your employees refuse to put |
| All of this should be stated on a well designed | | | | up with the violence any more. This could also result in |
| application form, and not hidden in small print on the | | | | a negligent hiring case. |
| back of the form. If the applicant passes the usual | | | | Both of these are financial bad news so get it stopped |
| employment screening checks, the interview should be | | | | now. It starts with employment screening and half |
| conducted by a well trained interviewer, able to use | | | | measures will have no effect. |