National Survey Pinpoints Upward Trends in Canadian Workplace Violence

Commerce and Industry Business Round-up

The Canadian Initiative on Workplace Violence recently completed a survey of labour organizations throughout Canada to ascertain the levels and trends of violence and aggression within our places of work.    

The findings spell-out clearly an increase in workplace violence within those Canadian labour organizations returning the data; these groups represent more than two million employees. This rise in violence is shown to be across-the-board from physical attacks to the more covert types of aggression perpetrated by psychological means. Psychological violence can be described as harassment, mobbing, bullying, teasing, and ridicule.

A recent five-member panel inquest into the Pierre Lebrun Ottawa Transit shooting on April 6, 1999, recommended tougher measures to deal with workplace violence. In particular, the panel drew attention to the psychological developmental aspects of violence, and the need to grasp the significance of behaviours that can lead to the devastating outcome of the Ottawa tragedy.

Commitment to a fuller understanding of the phenomenon of workplace violence and more effective preventative measures are just two of the goals of The Canadian Initiative. The Canadian Initiative on Workplace Violence is a social research and educational firm providing a range of programs for organizations interested in managing the specter of workplace conflict.        

The Canadian Initiative on Workplace Violence collects, organizes, and classifies information concerning workplace violence and aggression gained from Canadian corporations, service organizations, labour unions, and government. The careful assembly of this knowledge, and the comparison made with violence/aggression intelligence globally, makes for a unique contribution to the understanding of how the workplace functions.

Client Feedback

I want to thank you for your comprehensive report. Your findings and associated recommendations are relevant and specific. I particularly appreciate the fact the you were able to re­­spond so quickly to our situation, gaining the trust of the employees, as well as, their manager"
-Unitel Communications Inc.

Related Documents

• Cdn Initiative on Workplace Violence: Special Report

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