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Physical threats at work have halved in recent years thanks to home and teleworking. Although as colleagues we have not stopped swearing at each other or shouting at each other via Teams or the telephone.
A boss in a timber yard shouts that he will tackle a worker with the heaviest hammer if he does not finish the work quickly. During a discussion, an accountant makes it clear that she will wait for her colleague at the desk island in the parking lot after working hours to beat him up. Fortunately, it is becoming less and less common in Belgian companies. The external prevention service Liantis asked 8,302 employees whether they had been confronted with physical threats from colleagues or managers in the past year. 4.9 percent or almost one in twenty said yes. In 2020, this was still 10.52 percent, or more than one in ten. So there is a halving.
The logical explanation for the decrease lies in working from home and teleworking. “When there are fewer physical contact moments between colleagues on the work floor itself, it is not illogical that there is also less chance of unpleasant situations such as verbal and physical threats or even physical aggression,” says Marco Vandamme, psychosocial well-being expert at Liantis .
Often no physical violence
Fortunately, in most cases it remains merely a threat. “Only 1.99% of respondents actually experienced physical violence in the workplace last year,” says Marco Vandamme. Despite the decrease in physical threats, the number of incidents of verbal aggression has remained stable. We continue to swear at each other or shout at each other just as often, even though this is sometimes done remotely via the telephone or on Teams. 18.8% of the employees surveyed stated that they were confronted with shouting from colleagues or managers.
The impact of threats can be significant, both on the victim and on the entire workplace. “Victims feel anxious, sometimes shocked and sometimes even traumatized,” says occupational well-being expert Evy Sadicaris. “This culture of fear can spread across the workplace like an oil slick at work. It is therefore important that immediate action is taken.”
How do you deal with it according to the experts?
-As a company:
“Provide the necessary shelter for the victim. The employee must be able to discuss this with a manager, a confidential counselor or prevention advisor. Of course, the aggressor must also be held accountable for their inappropriate behavior in the workplace. In any case, it is important that the organization takes the necessary measures to prevent this behavior from occurring.”
-As a colleague:
“Have you personally witnessed aggressive behavior at work? Be sure to discuss this with your manager or a confidential counselor. It is extremely important that such matters do not develop a culture of cover-up or tolerance.”