There is much cause for unrest within the work sphere, and one of the unintended consequences is the growing threat of workplace violence that has been reported in 2025. A new survey from Traliant found that 30% of workers have witnessed workplace violence against their colleagues, with 15% stating that they themselves had been recent victims of aggression at work. Violence within the work environment can take on many forms, from derogatory conversations to threats to a worker’s physical safety, but regardless of the shape it takes, the sharp rise of workplace violence is detrimental to the well-being of the workforce.
Image: Pexels
The Issues of Workplace Violence Appear to Be Growing
Earlier this month, Traliant released its annual Employee Survey Report on Workplace Violence and Safety, which surveyed 1,000 full-time employees within the US to gather data on employee-reported workplace violence. The survey found 30% of respondents had observed violence within the workplace, which was up from the 25% reported last year. Similarly, 15% claimed they had been targets of workplace violence themselves, which was higher than the 12% who said the same last year.
Although the pace of growth of such workplace violence varies from industry to industry, around 46% of hospitality workers reported witnessing acts of aggression within the workplace. This high number is not only perpetuated by managers and co-workers, but clients and customers as well. Considering the nature of the work done by hospitality workers, which brings them into close contact with customers every day, it is no surprise that they are being victimized by the general public as well.
The Sharp Rise in Workplace Violence Is Particularly Noted in the Healthcare Industry
Employee-reported workplace violence data hasn’t been found exclusively in relation to the hospitality sector. A Harris Poll survey found that 59% of healthcare workers were concerned about their safety on the job. From the study 85% reported incidents of verbal harassment from patients, with 79% having witnessed aggressive behavior and threats from patients. Around 43% of responders even reported physical assault from their patients.
The rise of workplace violence was worse for women compared to men, with nurses and younger workers facing a bigger share of unwarranted aggression compared to doctors or older workers. Around 77% of the surveyed workers stated that safety measures had not improved in the last 12 months, with many desiring more on-site security, weapons detection technology, and panic buttons to aid in their safety on the job.
For fields that require as much delicacy and empathy as possible in their work, healthcare and hospitality workers are often forced to deal with patients and customers who take them for granted and unleash their wrath on them on a whim. While organizations occasionally make an effort to curb internal violence among workers, it is just as important for employers to ensure worker safety when interacting with clients, customers, and patients who use their services.
Violence Prevention in the Workplace Is Critical at Every Organization
The growing trends of workplace violence are greatly concerning as they suggest a lapse in safety regulations and corrective procedures across businesses. Employees spend the majority of their lives at work, and it is imperative for every organization to consider what this means for their well-being. As businesses continue to push to bring workers into the office full-time, they also need to consider that many workers might have lost their professional demeanor during their time away and strayed further into old-fashioned ways of operating, with little regard for the consequences of inappropriate behavior.
From the Traliant study, 93% of employees expressed a desire to see regulation around workplace violence across states, similar to those passed in California and New York. Seeing that such governmental changes may be slow to come, organizations will have to take charge of setting violence prevention regulations within the workplace to ensure that employees are aware of the rules and actively face the consequences of breaking them to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
How to Address the Rise in Workplace Violence?
The sharp rise in workplace violence must be addressed at once to restore the culture of the organization and the mental peace that all employees deserve at work. From training employees on professionalism to establishing a quick-acting system that addresses concerns surrounding workplace violence growing among workers, there are a lot of changes that can be made by employers and the HR teams.
- Conduct regular training regarding workplace safety and violence prevention to inform employees about acceptable workplace behavior.
- Train management on leadership skills and communication to ensure they act as good examples of workplace-appropriate behavior
- Conduct regular audits of the workplace, preferably through external organizations, to get a non-biased look at the organization and culture
- Review the employee handbook and update rules regarding appropriate behavior within the workplace
- Establish a system for workers to leave feedback anonymously regarding incidents in the workplace without fear of backlash
- Create a task force for investigating claims of workplace violence quickly and efficiently, without trying to bury the incident
- Reprimand and correct employees who are found guilty of perpetrating workplace
- Ensure that clients and customers who mistreat employees are seriously dealt with and reported to the relevant authorities
- Employ security teams, cameras, panic buttons, and other safety tools to ensure the workspace is safe for employees
- Explore the reasons for the growing threat of workplace violence and resolve the underlying concerns as well
- Create support tools and access to mental health services for employees who have been mistreated within the workplace to ensure they can heal
- Commit to building a healthy work culture where employees are encouraged to build strong relationships and work in harmony with each other
Preventing Violence at Work Is A Business-Critical Task
Violence prevention methods within the workplace are essential for every organization’s operations, not just in the aftermath of an egregious incident. Instead of waiting for things to become concerning before addressing the issue, organizations and their HR teams need to proactively create systems that discourage violent, threatening, or aggressive behavior in all of its overt and covert forms. A safe workspace is one where employees can be their productive best, so do not hesitate—get started with your safety and violence prevention planning right now.
Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights into the evolving landscape of work and employment right now.