Manage aggressive communication in the workplace

This standard is about managing aggressive communication in the workplace. It includes assessing and managing the risks of aggression, ensuring control measures and systems are in place, as well as promoting a positive and supporting culture at your organisation.

This standard is for anyone who is facing the risks of aggressive communication or responsible for managing these risks within your organisation.

---

1. include the management of aggressive communication in organisation’s policies
2. carry our risk assessments to identify risks related to aggressive communication
3. implement control measures for managing the risks of aggressive communication
4. cover the risks to all employees exposed to aggressive communication through implemented procedures
5. develop procedures for managing risks of aggressive communication in consultation with key employees
6. review and revise procedures on a regular basis or after incidents take place
7. use the relevant equipment for managing the risks of aggressive communication
8. record incidents of aggressive communication
9. keep records of incidents of aggressive communication and review these on a regular basis to identify trends
10. encourage all employees who experienced aggressive communication to report the incidents to their senior line management
11. provide support to employees who experienced incidents of aggressive communication
12. capture all incidents of aggressive communication by using customer management equipment
13. promote a positive and supportive culture within the workplace
14. arrange relevant training for all employees to enable them to minimise the risks of aggressive communication

---

1. the procedures for safeguarding confidentiality in accordance with data protection regulation
2. your legal duties for ensuring your and other employees’ well-being, safety and health in the workplace
3. the channels of communication within your organisation
4. the relevant procedures for reporting injuries, diseases, near misses and dangerous occurrences
5. the job roles and responsibilities of all employees for whom you are responsible
6. what aggressive communication is
7. the causes of aggressive communication
8. the acceptable methods and styles of communication
9. the risks associated with aggressive communication to the individual and the organisation
10. the relevant procedures for reporting incidents of aggressive communication
11. what policies and procedures should include in relation to managing aggressive communication
12. how to develop procedures for managing and minimising the risks of aggressive communication
13. how to record and report incidents of aggressive communication
14. the methods of handling sensitive situations
15. how to carry out a risk assessment
16. how to control risks in relation to aggressive communication
17. why it is important to log aggressive calls and other cases of communication
18. the information that should and should not be disclosed by employees
19. the types of communications equipment used by the organisation
20. how communications equipment can be used to minimise the risks of aggressive communication
21. the potential uses of specialist equipment to control and minimise risks of aggressive communication
22. how to provide advice and support about aggressive communication
23. why it is important to review records of incidents on a regular basis
24. the possible effects of aggressive communication on the individuals and employees
25. the importance of consulting with employees when developing and reviewing policies and procedures
26. how to promote a positive and supportive culture within the workplace
27. how to arrange the required training for your employees
28. the legal rights of individuals and organisations in relation to aggressive communication

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

Aggressive behaviour
Any behaviour or actions aimed at harming a person or damaging physical property.

Aggressive communication
A style of communication in which individuals express their feelings and opinions and advocate for their needs in a way that violates the rights of others.

Conflict
A state of opposition and disagreement between two or more people or groups of people, which is sometimes characterised by verbal abuse, threatening behaviour or physical violence.

Conflict Management
The practice of identifying and handling conflict in a sensible, fair, and efficient manner. Conflict management requires such skills as effective communicating, problem solving, and negotiating with a focus on common interests and safeguarding all concerned.

Dynamic Risk Assessment
This is a continuous assessment of the risks faced in a situation as it unfolds to ensure the safest and most effective response is being employed.

Equipment
These could include equipment such as pagers, mobile phones, walkie-talkies, panic buttons, public address systems, etc.

Evaluation
The process of determining whether an item or activity meets specified criteria.
It can include comparing the adequacy of policies and procedures with current practice or professional standards to manage work-related violence.

Generic Risk Assessment
It is:

• an examination of the work and workplace activities to identify what could cause harm to people (a hazard); and
• an assessment of the chance, high or low, that somebody could be harmed by the hazards identified, together with an indication of how serious the harm could be (the risk).

On the basis of this assessment a decision is made as to what prevention or control measures should be taken to prevent the possibility of harm.

Physical Intervention
This should include personal safety techniques to reduce the impact of hazardous behaviours, protective stances, disengagement and breakaway techniques” (when responding to physically threatening behaviours or defending oneself or another) or “restraint techniques” (when physically restricting a person’s movement).

Positive Working Environment and Culture
A working environment and culture which does not tolerate any violent behaviour.

Procedures
A series of steps following in a regular definite order that implements a policy.

Precautionary Measures
These could include: protective barriers, protective clothing, security responses, working in pairs or teams instead of lone working, etc.

Responsible Person
A person named in the organisation’s procedures as having responsibility for incidents of violence at work.

Risk
A risk is the likelihood of potential harm from that hazard being realised.
The extent of the risk depends on:

• the likelihood of that harm occurring;
• the potential severity of that harm, i.e. of any resultant injury or adverse health effect; and
• the population which might be affected by the hazard, i.e. the number of people who might be exposed.

Source: HSE “Management of health and safety at work –Approved Code of Practice & Guidance”.

Safe Working Practices
Established safe methods of carrying out activities, procedures or techniques used in carrying out your job or work activities to deliver a service with levels of quality and efficiency required by the organisation.

Service Users
Examples are: school students, patients, clients, passengers, customers, detainees, the public, parents, volunteers and carers.

Triggers of Violence
Factors that might cause violence to occur. They can be categorised in four different types:

• temporary personal factors for example, the service-user being uncomfortable from a lack of food, warmth, light, or presenting challenging behaviour whilst under the influence of drink or drugs, or
• persistent personal factors such as deteriorating mental health, having a difficulty or disability, which prevents normal communication, movement or behaviour, or
• temporary environmental factors such as a hot, noisy, crowded room, poor work dynamics in terms of furniture layout, etc., or
• persistent environmental factors such as too much being expected of the service-user, or the quality of the service offered consistently failing to meet the required standards of the user.

Work-related Violence
The Health and Safety Executive’s definition of work-related violence is: “Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work‟.

---

---

ACAS https://www.acas.org.uk/
Equality and Human Rights Commission http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/
Institute of Conflict Management https://instituteofconflict.management/
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) http://www.hse.gov.uk/
Trade Union Congress http://www.tuc.org.uk/
Victim Support www.victimsupport.org

---

1

---

2030

---

Current

---

Original

---

Instructus

---

CFAPMVW12

---

Managers and Senior Officials, Personnel, Training and Industrial Relations Managers , Trade Union Representatives and Professionals, Personnel and industrial relations officers

---

1135

---

Prevention; Management; Aggressive; Communication; Organisation

---