NCJ Number
213222
Date Published
2005
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This cross-national comparison of workplace violence traces its emergence as an international problem, and describes current efforts to prevent and manage workplace violence at an international level.
Abstract
Although research on the prevalence of and factors in workplace violence is insufficient in terms of volume and methodologies, there is strong evidence that it is a global problem. Further, it not only involves interpersonal conflicts that spill over into the workplace, it also results from stress and conflict caused largely by working conditions. Based on a review of research on workplace violence in various countries, the chapter identifies a number of key issues in the cross-national character of workplace violence. These include varying perceptions of the issue in different cultural contexts, the increasing recognition of workplace violence as a problem in developing countries, the increasing prevalence of psychological abuse in the workplace, and the spread of physical violence in the workplace. Another issue that has emerged in research on workplace violence across nations is the economic cost to workers and employers that stems from workplace violence. Efforts to prevent and reduce workplace violence have involved governments, trade unions, special study groups, behavioral scientists, and employer groups. Some of these efforts have involved joint efforts by workers and employers to identify working conditions that create tension, stress, and conflict on the job and develop policies and practices that can eliminate or mitigate these conditions. 3 tables, 4 figures, and 33 references