Warnings of workplace violence

[Nerys Ghemor]

I hope you will understand why I will not be discussing the observations that caused me to post this question, but I was wondering about this.

Who here has witnessed or been the co-worker/colleague who got violent in the workplace? (This doesn't count careers that sometimes include violence by necessity, such as military or police work.)

Were there any warning signs, in retrospect, that you now think could've or should've warned you this was coming? What have you seen that distinguishes merely immature or socially inept behavior from the dangerous kind?

 

[propita]

One guy (Jerry) at work (years ago) got into it with another. Jerry was starting to sound hysterical and had a screwdriver in his hand. We could see him; he wasn't paying attention to us. We called the supervisors, who handled things.

I think Jerry was going through a divorce or something, which i didn't know at the time. But he was always a jerk, so no telltale signs or change in personality/temperament.

 

[1001001]

What have you seen that distinguishes merely immature or socially inept behavior from the dangerous kind?

Speaking generally...

I went to a training on workplace violence once, and they talked extensively about Persistent Retaliatory Rage. The belief that you've been seriously wronged, combined with the inability to control or sublimate the feelings that go along with it. They are usually heavily externalized in their thinking.

 

[propita]

Hah! Interesting, digits.

I was wronged and angry by a boss’ actions and usually externalize my thinking. After 13 years, I still remember being pissed for his yelling at me and literally wanting to kill him on the spot. Thought of 5 ways to do it, too. I was told by “employee assistance” that they weren’t concerned about me going after him. He figured that I’d’ve retaliated at the moment and this was 3 weeks later. He also said that he himself would’ve hit the boss and was amazed at me control.

 

[SeerSGB]

Had a boss throw something at my head once when he got mad over me requesting my vacation time-- which turn into me telling him to stuff the job and walking out the door.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The only violence I've seen at my store has come from the customers. And even then it's usually just yelling.

 

[1001001]

Hah! Interesting, digits.

I was wronged and angry by a boss’ actions and usually externalize my thinking. After 13 years, I still remember being pissed for his yelling at me and literally wanting to kill him on the spot. Thought of 5 ways to do it, too. I was told by “employee assistance” that they weren’t concerned about me going after him. He figured that I’d’ve retaliated at the moment and this was 3 weeks later. He also said that he himself would’ve hit the boss and was amazed at me control.

Well, it's complicated. Obviously you have some self-control.



I'm not talking about flying off the handle in the heat of the moment. More like the guy who gets fired and returns with a gun. He ruminates on it, escalating himself with irrational thinking. It's not that he showed up for work drunk, it's that his boss is out to get him. Stuff like that.

We all have bad days. Vacation gets denied, passed over for promotion, things like that. This is a depth of pathology beyond the normal frustrations of corporate life.

 

[SeerSGB]

The only violence I've seen at my store has come from the customers. And even then it's usually just yelling.

Had that a handful of times. Actually got a gun pulled on me over a cup of coffee not being a freebie.

 

[ed629]

Once fired a girl, her husband came in grabbed me by my tie. Picked up one of those heavy metal napkin dispensers, cracked him in the head with it. Knocked him the fuck out, called 911, police and EMT came out. He sustained a concussion and a hairline fracture of the skull. Probably should of stopped after the first hit, the first one stunned him, the second hit knocked him out.

 

[Thestral]

Had that a handful of times. Actually got a gun pulled on me over a cup of coffee not being a freebie.

Jesus. I hope you called the cops.

 

[SeerSGB]

Had that a handful of times. Actually got a gun pulled on me over a cup of coffee not being a freebie.

Jesus. I hope you called the cops.

Wasn't allowed too, it was considered "Bad customer service" by my manager.

 

[Bread]

Had that a handful of times. Actually got a gun pulled on me over a cup of coffee not being a freebie.

Jesus. I hope you called the cops.

Wasn't allowed too, it was considered "Bad customer service" by my manager.

Well, the customer is always right.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Had that a handful of times. Actually got a gun pulled on me over a cup of coffee not being a freebie.

Jesus. I hope you called the cops.

Wasn't allowed too, it was considered "Bad customer service" by my manager.

The hell?

 

[SeerSGB]

Jesus. I hope you called the cops.

Wasn't allowed too, it was considered "Bad customer service" by my manager.

The hell?

Working at a truckstop (there's yoru first clue). The manager decided that the drivers were "abusing" the free-coffee with fill up promotion that had been running for years. So he stops it...only he doesn't tell the drivers or put up a sign to the effect of "Coffee is no longer free".

Long day of pissed off truckers that don't think they should have to pay for their coffee. Well this one mofo gets mad, slings a full travel mug across the counter at me, pulls a pistol from his jacket and aims it at me. The manager runs up, tries to blames me for the new policy (Fuck you a-hole), and eventually I talk the guy down (I was pissed and scared and trying to keep a calm, even, understanding voice the whole time) and he goes out to his truck.

I reach for the phone to call the cops, the manager says I do I'll be fired cause "It's bad customer service to call the police on mad customers, and he doesn't want the truckstop to get a rep for calling the cops on drivers"

 

[propita]

Umm, I'm hoping you don't work there anymore?

You shoulda told the truckers the truth about who came up with the policy. If they want to shoot someone, they could aim at your boss. He sounds like a waste of oxygen. Sad to think a plant is giving its all to help him breathe.

 

[SeerSGB]

Umm, I'm hoping you don't work there anymore?

You shoulda told the truckers the truth about who came up with the policy. If they want to shoot someone, they could aim at your boss. He sounds like a waste of oxygen. Sad to think a plant is giving its all to help him breathe.

I did and the SOB said that it wasn't him, it was cause of all the cashiers bitching about the policy (we loved free coffee, it meant less work for us, aside from refilling the coffee urns; drivers came in, got their fuel tickets, their coffee,and right back out the door).

I quit there a few days later after I was on third shift and the shift super came in pissing-on himself slobbering drunk and when I called the GM to find out what to do I got sent home for waking him up in the middle of the night.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Umm, I'm hoping you don't work there anymore?

You shoulda told the truckers the truth about who came up with the policy. If they want to shoot someone, they could aim at your boss. He sounds like a waste of oxygen. Sad to think a plant is giving its all to help him breathe.

I did and the SOB said that it wasn't him, it was cause of all the cashiers bitching about the policy (we loved free coffee, it meant less work for us, aside from refilling the coffee urns; drivers came in, got their fuel tickets, their coffee,and right back out the door).

I quit there a few days later after I was on third shift and the shift super came in pissing-on himself slobbering drunk and when I called the GM to find out what to do I got sent home for waking him up in the middle of the night.

Nice place to work.

 

[Finn]

Not my workplace, but I once saw a little black dog get attacked by a Jack Russell Terrier.

 

[Gryffindorian]

I work for a public utility agency, and although I've heard of field/maintenance employees getting into a fight or confrontation with a supervisor or a co-worker, the only actual workplace violence I've witnessed was a "verbal" one many years ago. I tell ya, those accountants could be so hot-tempered, especially if their fellow accountants were likewise assholes, too.

One time, a guy named David was working on some tasks before he went on vacation. Now it sounded like his next-door cube neighbor, Norm, was badgering him about something, and David just snapped. "You fucking asshole! What the fuck do you want from me?! I'm trying to get some work done here, you fucker!!!" In retrospect, I actually liked this David guy because he had a sense of humor, but Norm was a total ass. I'm happy to say that both men left the company years ago.

 

[Thestral]

I did and the SOB said that it wasn't him, it was cause of all the cashiers bitching about the policy (we loved free coffee, it meant less work for us, aside from refilling the coffee urns; drivers came in, got their fuel tickets, their coffee,and right back out the door).

I quit there a few days later after I was on third shift and the shift super came in pissing-on himself slobbering drunk and when I called the GM to find out what to do I got sent home for waking him up in the middle of the night.

Jesus, what a tool (both of them). You shoulda walked out and called the cops anyway.