More than 25 million workers (one out of every four) are harassed, threatened or attacked on the job yearly.
In the past 10 years, incidents of employees killing their bosses have doubled.

"The boss is particularly vulnerable, because he or she is always seen as the one sitting on the throne," says Parker. "Ultimately, disgruntled employees see the boss as being responsible for their troubles."

Vistage experts Parker, Karen Jorgensen, Dana D. Borowka and Bill Furlow contend that a company's size doesn't matter when it comes to vulnerability to violent employees.

"The quality of the work environment does make a difference," Jorgensen says. "So does the way employers handle conflict and terminations. Employers need a policy spelling out what behavior is expected of employees, and the fact that violence, any kind of physical harassment -- or even verbal aggression -- will not be tolerated."

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Toxic Workplaces, Managers Invite Violence

Violence does not erupt in a vacuum.

Parker identifies seven characteristics of a "toxic workplace." They are:

Jobs of a highly repetitive nature
Rigid, isolated management
Jobs that offer few self-direction opportunities; mostly responsive to others
Jobs that are intense and demanding
Negligent hiring and retention practices
Volatile labor-management relations
Arbitrary management decisions
Discipline that is unevenly or unfairly applied

A toxic manager can be as dangerous as a poor environment, he says.

Eight traits distinguish a toxic manager. They include:

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Warning Signs: Looking for Human Time Bombs

The more we study human behavior, the more we can predict who may pose a threat.

Borowka says the following behaviors constitute potential for violence:

Constantly blaming others
Mentioning violence in casual conversations
Making verbal or written threats
Showing violence toward inanimate objects (breaking a chair, kicking doors, throwing a phone)
Exhibiting the behaviors of a romantic obsession
Getting into frequent, major conflicts with a supervisor or subordinate
Discussing irrational beliefs
Difficulty interacting with the opposite sex

Often, exhibiting one or more of these behaviors represents a problem that is "brewing."

Individuals who have the capacity for violence in the workplace often exhibit escalating behavior.

Parker, who has worked with the FBI, draws this behavioral sketch of violent employees.

They are generally (but not limited to):

Older (35+ years)
White males

Few job descriptions (except CEO!) are exempt. They can be professionals or unskilled laborers.

At work, they are:

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How to Investigate a Threat

In many cases, the person who commits an act of violence has sent warning signs -- some subtle, others not so subtle.

For example, Furlow worked on a case where a disgruntled car dealership employee tried to enlist coworkers for a shooting spree to "commemorate" the Columbine shootings.

Jorgensen recalls the case of a secretary whose use of a racially derogatory term triggered a verbal argument with a receptionist.

"It's important to react immediately to verbal threats and name-calling," she explains. "These behaviors fall under what should be a 'zero tolerance' policy for any acts of aggression."

Carrying out an investigation of a threat is critical for legal -- and fairness -- reasons.

When conducting an investigation, Vistage experts advise:

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Dealing with Disturbed Employees

What Works

Parker suggests the following approaches when dealing with unstable or erratic employees:

Try to understand their problem.
Listen. You don't have to give credence to their fantasy, but you can acknowledge their opinion.
Give them some hope for the future.
Apply discipline and termination policies in a fair and consistent manner.
Train supervisors in sensitivity, then expect them to act with sensitivity.
Allow terminated employees to leave the workplace without losing face.
Enforce policies against non-employees in work areas.
Ensure that all threats of violence from employees or outsiders are reported and acted upon.
Have an effective Employee Assistance Program in place.

What Doesn't Work

If you encounter a disturbed employee, these steps won't help your cause of returning to safety and productivity:

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Communicating Clearly in a Crisis

When a crisis occurs, companies often react by circling the wagons.

Companies that refuse to comment to the media, and that try to "keep a lid on it," create a secretive or untrustworthy image. They also give the impression of a lack of concern.

"You need a communications plan -- not just a security plan -- in place to deal with these kinds of incidents," says Furlow.

Important constituencies must be dealt with immediately:

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Safe Terminations

Plan the termination in detail.

Where will it happen? In the workplace? Or a neutral place like a coffee shop?
Who will represent the company?
Do you need representation from someone external to the company?
What time of day will you choose? Can you intercept the employee before he/she reports to work? (Best scenario: early morning or latest part of workday)
What kind of severance package will you give the departing employee?
Who will be responsible for getting a signed statement from the employee, which is your proof that a thorough investigation was conducted?

No matter how blatant the incident leading to the termination, always give the departing employee what Parker calls a "golden pillow." Essentially, this gesture offers exiting employees a "soft landing," a glimmer of hope that all is not lost because of errant behavior. Every golden pillow includes severance and a settlement agreement.

Additional components of "golden pillows" include one or more of the following:

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Preventing Workplace Violence

Parker says a safe workplace meets the following criteria:

Management fosters a fair and harmonious work environment.
Supervisors and employees are trained in how to resolve conflicts on the job.
Effective policies and procedures protect employees from harassment.
An effective grievance system exists.
Job counseling is provided for employees who are fired or laid off.
Supervisors are trained to recognize troubled employees.
An Employee Assistance Program exists.
A crisis plan has been drawn up to address potentially violent incidents.
Effective security procedures are in place and have been communicated to all employees.
Senior management regularly interacts with the employees.
Access to the workplace is restricted and controlled for non-employees.

Vistage experts agree that pre-employment screening is an excellent first step in creating a safe workplace.

They recommend the following background checks on all employees, including:

Create a Security Plan

To start your plan, Parker recommends:

Recognize the kinds of situations that your company could face.
Decide who in your company is most knowledgeable about each of these.
Assign each area of vulnerability to a manager.
Determine what you need to do to reduce vulnerabilities.
Establish a plan for each worst-case scenario.
Educate and train employees about how to recognize a potential problem when it occurs, and what they are expected to do about it.
Direct responders should practice and be retrained at least once a year.

Ultimately, it is management's job to create a safe culture -- one in which employees treat one another with respect and, if there is a breach of this code, they feel comfortable requesting help.

To that end:

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