Preventing and managing aggression or violence – step 1: identify hazards

For example:

• Are all positions filled?
• Is there a workforce planning system or employee replacement process in place?
• Are staffing and resources reviewed in line with workload and available skills?
• Is there a plan in place to manage workload during peak or seasonal demands?
• Is workload shared fairly between employees?
• Have customers provided feedback about issues such as wait times or service levels?
• Are there any themes emerging from employee feedback or concerns that indicate exposure to aggression or violence?
• Is employee feedback encouraged and considered?
• Do employees feel comfortable providing feedback about aggression or violence in one-on-one meetings, team meetings or surveys?

• Do workforce survey results show exposure to aggression or violence in:

  • certain teams
  • certain roles
  • the organisation as a whole?

  This includes in any free-text responses. What areas of concern have employees raised?

• Has there been a recent change in employee engagement or morale?
• Do leaders have the knowledge and skills to identify aggression or violence and control associated risks?
• Are leaders trained in how to recognise and respond to early signs of psychological harm in the workplace?
• Are leaders supported by senior executives to identify aggression or violence (and other psychosocial hazards) and control associated risks?
• Have work tasks, content and scheduling been clearly defined and communicated to all employees? This includes contractors and labour hire workers.
• Are employees given reasonable time, resources and support to complete tasks?
• Does a review of workflows, tasks and schedules show any inefficiencies that may increase workload?
• Is the physical working environment appropriate and set up to reduce the risk of aggression or violence?
• Are employees regularly working in remote or isolated locations, or working alone?

For example:

• Are any employees working excessive or unusual hours?
• Are employees working late or night shifts?
• Are rates of sick leave and unplanned leave higher than usual or higher than average?
• Do rates of sick leave or other unplanned leave show any trends? For example:
  • higher levels of absenteeism in some work areas compared to others
  • more leave being taken at certain times.
• Has employee turnover increased?
• Is employee turnover higher than average?
• Is employee turnover higher in some working areas than others?
• What reasons do employees give in exit interviews for leaving the organisation? Are there themes emerging from exit interviews?
• Are there any issues identified that indicate exposure to aggression or violence?

For example:

• What hazards have been identified in these reports? Do they include reports of aggression or violence?
• Were workplace inspections done by appropriately skilled people and any employee representatives, such as HSRs?
• What areas of concern have employees raised in the psychosocial hazard identification survey? Are there procedures in place to consider, consult on and address concerns identified through the survey?
• What psychosocial hazards or risks have been identified in previously conducted psychosocial risk assessments? Has aggression or violence reoccurred? Are risk controls adequately controlling the identified risks of aggression or violence?
• Does the organisation have an incident reporting system or risk register for reporting incidents that affect employee health and safety?
• Are employees aware of, and using, the incident reporting system?
• Does the incident reporting system or risk register include psychosocial risks, such as those associated with exposure to aggression or violence?
• Do any reports of physical hazards or incidents suggest psychosocial hazards, such as aggression or violence, may have contributed?
• Are there any trends or patterns in the data that show psychosocial hazards, including aggression or violence, are present?
• Is there a clearly defined process for how the organisation, and supervisors and managers, will respond to reports of psychosocial hazards and incidents, including aggression or violence?
• Is incident reporting data being used to inform proactive employee intervention?
• What is the source of the aggression or violence being reported?
• How often are aggression or violence being reported?
• Has aggression or violence and associated controls been identified in health and safety committee meetings? Has any action been taken to control risks associated with aggression or violence identified in the meetings?
• Are there complaints of harmful behaviour, such as bullying, sexual harassment and aggression or violence?
• Are there any trends or patterns in the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) data that show potential exposure to aggression or violence or other associated hazards? Have any steps been taken to address previously identified aggression or violence or risks?
• Has claims data (including rejected claims) been analysed to identify trends or patterns of psychosocial hazards including aggression or violence?
• Has the information from these claims been used to review current risk control measures and revise them if necessary?
• Is claims data analysed by areas like work location and role?
• What is being done to support employees who have lodged claims?