Workplace Violence Is Leading Companies To Adopt Stricter Security Measures

Workplace Violence Is Leading Companies To Adopt Stricter Security Measures

Employers are becoming more vigilant about workplace security, implementing intensive screenings for job candidates and electronic badge systems for employees.

As fears of workplace violence rise in the wake of a June mass shooting at a municipal center in Virginia Beach, companies across the country are adopting more measures to make sure employees feel safe in the office.

While mass shootings in the workplace are relatively rare — there have been 11 in the United States since 2006 — workplace homicides do claim hundreds of lives each year. In 2015, 417 Americans were killed while at work, according to statistics compiled by the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime.

These numbers have pushed companies to take action, according to experts interviewed by The North Jersey Record. More office buildings are equipped with systems meant to track who is entering the office and when, using technology like video surveillance and electronic badges to keep tabs on visitors and employees alike.

“It was only in the past two or three years when we’ve seen a much bigger spate of events at office workplaces as well as factory floors has there been a turn in attention to [security],” John Dony, the director of the Campbell Institute at the National Safety Council, told the Record.

Experts agree that the most effective ways of preventing workplace violence might be the most obvious ones: watching out for symptoms of disgruntled employees and thoroughly screening job candidates for signs that they will not fit in with the company culture.

Aggressive or abnormal behavior on social media and issues at previous jobs can usually indicate if the person will have issues at their new job.

“Employers need to take time to make sure the individual they hire is a good fit in all ways,” Robert McCrie, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, told the Record.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • 12 Commercial Crime Sites to Do Your Research

    12 Commercial Crime Sites to Do Your Research

    Understanding crime statistics in your industry and area is crucial for making important decisions about your security budget. With so much information out there, how can you know which statistics to trust? Read Now

  • Boosting Safety and Efficiency

    Boosting Safety and Efficiency

    In alignment with the state of Mississippi’s mission of “Empowering Mississippi citizens to stay connected and engaged with their government,” Salient's CompleteView VMS is being installed throughout more than 150 state boards, commissions and agencies in order to ensure safety for thousands of constituents who access state services daily. Read Now

  • Live From GSX: Post-Show Review

    Live From GSX: Post-Show Review

    This year’s Live From GSX program was a rousing success! Again, we’d like to thank our partners, and IPVideo, for working with us and letting us broadcast their solutions to the industry. You can follow our Live From GSX 2023 page to keep up with post-show developments and announcements. And if you’re interested in working with us in 2024, please don’t hesitate to ask about our Live From programs for ISC West in March or next year’s GSX. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX
  • People Say the Funniest Things

    People Say the Funniest Things

    By all accounts, GSX version 2023 was completely successful. Apparently, there were plenty of mix-ups with the airlines and getting aircraft from the East Coast into Big D. I am all ears when I am in a gathering of people. You never know when a nugget of information might flip out. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • GSX

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge. 3

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles. 3

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame. 3