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Print ArticleDeveloping The Zero Tolerance Policy (ZTP)
The ZTP performs well in its fight against illegal substances and harassment. It's not just "more paper," it's a concept with sharp ideological teeth. You can apply that same purity strategy against weapons, physical altercations, anger and threatening speech. If you don't currently require every single employee to be honor-bound by a well-written and comprehensive ZTP, Surface Fabrication magazine and Whip-Smart Management Consulting have mined their combined resources to help put one of these essential documents into place for you at no charge. Please check the last paragraph for instructions on receiving this potentially invaluable policy.
Beyond Policy: Common Sense Safety
A safe workplace never happens by accident! Take a good look at your business — is there a way to reshape the environment or your operating procedures so that violence and crime might retreat or skip over you? Could your communications systems be enhanced? Think about the manner in which you transport or hold the firm's valuables — can it be modified? There are countless possibilities for improvement that you and your staff (and perhaps a police consultant) could implement, given the right focus. Can you achieve fantastic efficiency by delaying these improvements or new policies until just one moment before any harm comes your way? No. In this instance there's only one way to lean and that's toward the side of safety. The consequences of workplace violence are just too real and long-lasting. If you doubt that, find an owner that's had an employee hurt or terrorized and ask them about regret or guilt. There's just no living with a mistake like that.
Embed The Antidote Everywhere
As with most tasks, your best results will come from a highly-coordinated and integrated plan, especially if the workings of it are embedded into the DNA of your company. You can achieve this when it comes to boosting safety and security and reducing your team's exposure to workplace violence. Your first step is always the same: Reduce your anti-violence message to its core essence and share it thoroughly with your employees. Sometimes the most complex issues respond best to simple attitudes and actions. Try these steps when developing The Common Sense Safety Plan:
1. Develop and appoint a management team tasked with preventing and controlling workplace violence. Start by drafting your own Zero Tolerance Policy or adopting the one we are offering to our subscribers.
2. Embed this essential truth: "Violence, in any form, is not a part of business and will not be tolerated here!"
3. Analyze your own environment(s) and staff behaviors. Where are you vulnerable? What can change? Remove all potential temptations for the bad guys.
4. Adopt the technology that continues to help keep us all safer - the bad guys can't always keep up.
5. Is there anything special about your industry, your function, your locality, your valuables, your staff, your reputation, etc. that requires equally special preparation, prevention or response to violence or threats of violence?
6. Scout locations for your troops (employees). Learn what it's really like on the tough jobsites and temporary on-site shops. Ride shotgun with your installation teams and sales specialists — are they targeting themselves somehow?
7. Establish clear communication channels. Enhance and upgrade all communication initiatives (both formal and informal).
