An innovative approach to workplace violence mitigation

June 2, 2017
'Preparedness without Paranoia' concept helps organizations better prepare for worse-case scenarios

The threat of workplace violence and how to prevent it has long been one of biggest challenges faced by security professionals across every vertical market. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), just fewer than nine percent of all fatal workplace injuries that occurred in the country in 2015 were workplace homicides.  

And while indiscriminate killing by an active shooter may be the absolute nightmare scenario, incidents of domestic violence that spillover into the workplace can be just as deadly as evidenced by the recent murder-suicide at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, Calif, in which the gunman’s collateral damage resulted in one child being killed and another wounded. The aforementioned "Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries" for 2015 from the BLS also found that approximately 43 percent of women killed in the workplace violence incidents were fatally assaulted by a relative or domestic partner.

As shown by the statistics, the threats posed by workplace violence are real but trying to develop a strategy that adequately addresses the issue poses an interesting dilemma for security executives: how to raise awareness among employees without creating an unnecessary level of fear. Global consulting firm Kiernan Group Holdings (KGH) believes it has solved this problem for organizations with the development of what it calls the "Preparedness Without Paranoia" concept. The approach essentially aims to create an environment in which employees are well-educated about the threats, know what tell-tale signs to look for and how to respond appropriately.

“We believe if you have an educated, empowered and engaged citizenry, it becomes a force multiplier for law enforcement resources around the world,” says Dr. Kathleen L. Kiernan, CEO and founder of KGH. “Having folks that pay attention, increase their confidence and take security personally should be as organic as getting dressed, brushing your teeth and going to school. It’s paying attention to your surroundings and potential anomalous behavior and knowing what to do with that.”  

Kiernan, who is a 29-year veteran of federal law enforcement and previously served as assistant director for the Office of Strategic Intelligence and Information at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), says she was motivated to develop this concept out of a sense of frustration with the notation some people have that it’s all up to law enforcement and the first responder community to solve these problems.

“The fact is most incidents, particularly with active shooters, are resolved – one way or another – before law enforcement arrives at the scene,” she says. “We think you can take the advantage away from an assailant, armed or otherwise, using time to your advantage when something goes wrong. Simple things, such as knowing national models like ‘Run, Hide and Fight,’ they don’t necessarily apply in a linear fashion. If you can’t run, what is your option? If you can’t hide, what is your option? If you can’t fight, what is your option? Thinking through things in advance can make you better prepared and more resilient and it makes it a personal obligation.”

Kiernan says that KGH works with an organization’s C-suite as well as their human resources department to educate an entire business from the top down about why they should take security seriously and make it a part of their corporate culture. Instead of just showing a video once or twice a year to their employees about what to do in the event of an active shooter or another type of workplace violence incident, she says companies need to ensure that their workforce is not paralyzed with fear when something actually happens but rather know, step-by-step, what, when and how to react.

Given the number of high-profile incidents that have occurred in recent years, Kiernan says she has seen an increase in situational awareness by organizations and increased HR investments to teach employees what anomalous behaviors they should take notice of, such as a significant change in routine for one of their coworkers or frequent absences.

“A number of companies, as well as universities, now have threat assessment teams, which are specially trained personnel that look for early indications of anomalous behavior and put into place threat mitigation strategies,” Kiernan adds. “Sometimes there are explanations for these behaviors – someone might just be having a hard time personally or it could be based on their financial situation, marital troubles or a number of other events. But there are indicators to look for that go beyond just these normal human events.”

Kiernan adds that having a mechanism, whether it is a tip line or an actual department, inside an organization that people can report their concerns to is extremely beneficial to have. Beyond that, she says having security plans that are regularly refreshed to account for changes in the threat environment, is also critical for workplace violence prevention.

“There is an awful lot of criticism whenever there is a major event that law enforcement should have done something or they should have done something differently. I think sometimes that is unwarranted criticism,” Kiernan says. The first responder community can do their job in a better and more efficient way with the help of an engaged and educated public that’s paying attention and helping them. The adversary is always going to take advantage of inattention and the fact that some people are comfortable in certain surroundings but that really is a vulnerability.”     

About the Author

Joel Griffin is the Editor of SecurityInfoWatch.com and a veteran security journalist. You can reach him at [email protected].