Gunshots recently sounded in a workplace in Northern Indiana.  Sadly, the loss of two lives, and multiple injuries resulted from the actions on one employee.  The workplace is generally a safe place.  In fact, it is a place where people have often felt safer than they do in other environments.  Despite the enormity of the problem of workplace violence, a lack of information about the causes and predictors of workplace violence continues to exist. 

The consequences of workplace violence are serious and often life changing, not just for the individuals involved, but also for the workplace itself.  There are several factors which help to identify and predict the likelihood of workplace violence.  The assessment of risk in the workplace is the focus of current scientific study.  However, even with the benefit of scientific knowledge the assessment of potential violence in the workplace is often inaccurately and inconsistently investigated.  Moreover, the accuracy of predictions based on the information gathered is erratic.  The inconsistent methods of evaluating risk assessment have not led to consistent or accurate predictions regarding workplace violence.  Risk assessment should conform to an understood strategy for evaluating the relevant factors.  This is the only way to more accurately and reliably predict workplace violence. 

Predicting workplace violence requires the identification of workplace factors which form the context of the behavior and personal factors directly affecting the employee.  Understanding the specific personal factors and workplace factors, and how they interact permits the psychological evaluator to make more accurate predictions.

Workplace factors consist of factors likely to occur in the workplace.  The factors have a significant bearing on the individual’s psychological and behavioral reaction.  For example, perceived injustice, electronic monitoring and concern regarding job insecurity are examples of workplace factors affecting an individual’s attitude and psychological experience in the workplace.  Thus, an overly close and punitive style of supervision often negatively impacts the individual worker.

Personal factors such as alcohol use and abuse, a history of aggressive behavior, perceived low self-esteem, and the use of psychological aggression, exemplify the personal factors predictive of workplace violence.  The previous use of aggression has been documented to be one of the personal characteristics of aggressive employees.  It is also illustrative of a potentially aggressive employee who is likely to act out in the workplace.  Aggression appears to be an element which is stable across context and time.  As a result, an individual’s past history of aggression in general is often predictive of future violence in the workplace. 

Finally, although it is possible that personal and work factors may operate independently in predicting workplace violence, a more accurate prediction of the workplace violence can actually be better understood when the interaction of both is clearly understood.  When negative workplace factors are combined with a history of alcohol use, past general aggression, low self-esteem and the use of psychological aggression, the likelihood of workplace violence significantly increases.