Workplace frustration boiled over in a westside San Antonio restaurant last month. A waitress reacted badly when her work hours were reduced. Maria Benavidez expressed frustration at her reduced hours. She looked at the manager’s stepson’s paycheck – who also worked there. Her manager told her to leave and called the police. Ms. Benavidez then tossed a pot at the manager. The manager then tried to walk away. The irate waitress then threw a cleaver at him and threatened to kill him. The cleaver left a large cut in the back of his head.
Ms. Benavidez was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. See San Antonio Express News report.
How do we prevent workplace violence? My friend and colleague, Dan Schwarz at Connecticut Employment Blog suggests these steps:
- provide training to employees regarding workplace violence. Teach employees about the warning signs of workplace violence.
- encourage an open door policy. Encourge employees to report safety issues or unusual behavior.
- Do not hesitate to contact the police. resist the urge to try to deal with a "situation" internally.
- Take incidents seriously. Address each situation on a case-by-case basis.
See more at Dan’s post.