Beyond numbers, it’s a matter of people!
VIOLENCE HAS MAJOR IMPACTS ON THE ORGANIZATION!
The repercussions of workplace violence are felt at the level of employees’ physical and psychological health.
Here are some examples of the repercussions violence can have:
- withdrawal and isolation
- psychological distress
(consumption of alcohol and psychotropic drugs such as tranquillizers, sleeping pills, and anti-depressants) - depressive symptoms
- musculoskeletal disorders
(painful impairment of muscles, tendons, and nerves, e.g. tendinitis, tension in the cervical spine) - family or marital problems.
COMPENSATION COSTS IN QUÉBEC
Based on CNESST data (2011), nearly 1,800 injuries attributable to workplace violence occurred annually between 2006 and 2009. This represents costs of over $11 million a year!
A SHADOW OVER THE ORGANIZATION’S IMAGE
Many organizations are currently facing a high staff turnover rate, which puts them in a less competitive position than other competing organizations when it comes to attracting and retaining personnel. Human resources directors and managers must therefore ask themselves what can be done to give the employer a competitive edge. Organizations displaying a keen interest in their employees’ health and safety are bound to stand out more in the eyes of future workers.
A 2011 study revealed the prevalence of certain health problems among Québec workers who had reported experiencing psychological harassment (PH) compared to those who had not:
It can be seen from the above graphs that::
- more than one-third (36.5%) of the victims of psychological harassment in the workplace said they suffered from psychological distress; while
- only 14.6% of the workers not subject to psychological harassment said they experienced psychological distress.
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Over time, violence gradually isolates the person. In fact: - when a person reports a violent situation, his co-workers may fear the consequences and therefore tend to keep their distance
- when the person talks a lot about the situation he is experiencing, his co-workers eventually end up no longer wanting to listen;
- when the problem persists, co-workers grow weary of the situation;
- when the problem grows more complicated and, for example, other events compound it, co-workers often end up doubting the victim’s version;
- gradually, the doors close, communication shuts down, and the worker finds himself isolated.
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