When it comes to preventing and managing violence in the workplace, Doug Elms is HR’s best friend. We caught up with him at the Arkansas state SHRM conference, where he addressed the audience on the epidemic of violence and how it’s impacting our workplaces.
Cynthia: It seems as if our culture is becoming more violent. Is that true or is it more about the media focusing on it?
Doug: Both are true. As a people, we are undoubtedly becoming more violent. Don’t forget the unprecedented mass violence of the last two years and how much both broadcast and social media love to dwell upon it.
Cynthia: What is going on with that?
Doug: There are many, many factors. People are under more stress than they’ve ever been, and stress makes everything worse. Emotional issues, mental health struggles, and relationship problems that were manageable before soon become too much to handle.
Some people will flee the stress through alcohol or drugs while others will become angry and seek to hurt people. All of that is happening as we speak.
Cynthia: You help HR leaders all over the nation. What are you seeing?
Doug: A lot of fear and frustration, to be honest. HR professionals are required to deal with people and situations that have high potential for violence, yet without tools, training, or resources with which to do so.
Cynthia: But what can they do?
Doug: Call us. We become your expert resource. Generally, after a single phone call, you know exactly what to do.
And that initial call is absolutely free.
Cynthia: What kind of things would they call you for?
Doug: An employee everyone is a bit worried about. The spouse of an employee who is threatening to hurt her. A difficult discipline or termination. Threats against the company or it’s leadership. Security or Vulnerability assessments. Training on Active Shooter prevention. Pretty much anything that has to do with threats or violence, we are your “go to.”
Cynthia: Would you outline what a typical case looks like?
Doug: Sure. Let’s say you have a situation where a female employee has separated from her abusive husband. Rumor has it that he’s threatened to come to work and hurt her. You call her in and speak with her to determine what is really going on. She confesses that she’s afraid of him and that he has indeed made threats to harm her. You learn she is staying with a friend that he doesn’t know.
What do you do?
Cynthia: Make a referral to the EAP? Call the police? Help her get a restraining order? Let her take a few days off? Have legal send a strongly worded letter?
Doug: The answer is “maybe.” To each question. And that’s the problem. These situations have far too many variables to follow “always/never” protocols. Each case must be considered on its individual merits and compared with known correlates before a solid recommendation can be made.
Cynthia: If you were involved, what would you do?
Doug: I would ask a lot more questions. I would likely want to interview the victim and give her some personal safety tips. I might do a background check on the subject in question. I’d compare this situation to the hundreds of cases I’ve worked and the thousands we have research for. Then I’d make some very concrete and practical recommendations that will actually work.
Cynthia: So, you take the guesswork out of it?
Doug: Absolutely. We relieve the stress of not knowing how dangerous a situation is or what to do about it. That’s why HR and Legal love us.
Cynthia: Is there a term for this service?
Doug: Yes, it’s called Threat Assessment and Management.
Cynthia: What’s your background?
Doug: I was a police officer working the mean streets of Little Rock, Arkansas when I was wounded in a shootout. Later, I became a local liaison with the United States Secret Service during Bill Clinton’s campaign and inauguration. I learned how they prevented assassination attempts by watching for warning signs and managing threats out of existence. Ultimately, I wound up at Walmart where I protected multiple CEO’s and members of the Walton family.
Cynthia: That seems to bring a lot of credibility to what you’re saying.
Doug: I hope so. There aren’t many people in the world who can do what we do. That’s why I started SafeHaven Security Group.
Cynthia: Explain, please.
Doug: While Threat Assessment and Management (TAM) has been around a few decades, only the wealthy and/or famous have had access to it. Very few police departments in America have training in this discipline, let alone have a dedicated TAM unit.
Cynthia: To whom have people and companies turned for this expertise?
Doug: Probably the top two firms are Gavin de Becker and Associates and Threat Assessment Group, founded by Dr. Park Dietz. They are top-notch. But they are simply out of reach for most companies.
Cynthia: How does SafeHaven Security Group differ?
Doug: Actually, we are the same in some respects. We are a group of professional protectors with backgrounds that include corporate security, law enforcement, military, FBI, Secret Service, psychotherapy, and leadership positions with companies like Walmart and FedEx.
The difference is that we are approachable and accessible. When you call us, you speak directly with one of our experts. No hassle expertise is always at your fingertips.
Cynthia: Just how effective is Threat Assessment and Management in preventing violence?
Doug: Extremely. There is literally nothing more effective. Our success rate is 100%. Meaning that, once we get notified that there is a threat, we have managed the threat out of existence and kept our clients safe every single time.
Cynthia: That sounds too good to be true.
Doug: But it’s not. You know as a leader that, when you actually manage situations, you can almost always make them better. It’s when you ignore problems and hope they resolve themselves that things go awry.
Cynthia: How do people contact you?
Doug: They can call me at 1-844-SAFEGROUP or through our website at www.SafeHavenSecurityGroup.com.