subject: Workplace Violence Training - The 3 Realms Of Defensive Training [print this page] More and more managers, administrators, and business owners are waking up to the fact that their workplace violence plans amount to little more than shell policies. They see that these "standardized plans" are missing a very important element. The element, in fact, that will allow their people to respond to the operative word in their plan's title -- "violence!"
This article outlines the three parts or "realms" of a well-rounded and liability-conscious personal safety training program for employees. Please note that I used the term "personal safety" due to the common tendency to equate the term "self-defense" with the idea of "fighting." An error that, when used to make decisions about getting the necessary training into many companies - is putting many employees at risk.
Here are the 3 Realms of Defensive Training as I present this topic to my clients. Each makes up a part of a complete self protection training program, and reduces the possibility that an employee may feel "forced" to react physically because they don't know what else to do. They are also a part of OSHA's suggestions for a complete workplace violence prevention plan.
The parts most often overlooked by companies and their attorneys who believe that a "contract" or policy will prevent aggression - who believe that you will be able to reason with an irrational attacker.
The 3 realms of an effective corporate workplace violence training program for personal safety and self protection are:
1) De-escalation. This training should focus on giving, if not every employee than at least managers or other key team members, the ability to use verbal and non-verbal communications skills, positioning, use of distance, and other tools to avoid and neutralize conflict and the potential for actual, physical violence.
2) Escape. The principles and concepts taught in this realm of training are designed to allow employees to get out of harms way - literally or subjectively. This could be literal "escape" from a dangerous area, or it could be a symbolic "escaping" from detection. Here, employees should be taught how to identify escape routes, as-well-as how to recognize the difference between "concealment" and "cover" - two vitally important concepts, especially when surviving a situation involving an attacker or attackers armed with firearms.
3) Physical Defense. When a victim finds herself face-to-face with a hostile attacker who is already trying to punch, grab, kick, or use some other weapon - the only thing that matters is to reduce the amount of damage the assailant can do until help arrives.
Again, this has nothing to do with fighting, but everything to do with not getting beaten, broken, or killed by an aggressive attacker.
