Disrupting Violence: The Role of EAPs in Workplace Safety

Abstract

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) change over time, not unlike the people and organizations they serve. The risk of workplace violence (WPV) is a real danger that employees and organizations are challenged to manage on a regular basis. According to the US Department of Labor and OSHA, workplace violence is defined as “any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site.” This may take the form of verbal or written threats, verbal abuse, physical assault, or homicide. Unfortunately, the daily threat of experiencing some form of workplace violence is all too real for many employees. WPV services offer EAPs an opportunity to expand their operational tool kits and provide added value to the organizations they serve.