Workplace violence is a serious and widespread issue, with nearly 2 million workers in the U.S. falling victim to it each year, according to the Department of Labor.
These incidents can range from verbal threats to physical assaults, creating not only immediate harm but also long-lasting effects on employee well-being, productivity, and organizational reputation.
Below, we’ll define the four types of workplace violence, highlight effective prevention strategies, and demonstrate how Kaseware can help mitigate risks and support workplace safety.
What Are the Four Types of Workplace Violence?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) classifies workplace violence into four primary types:
Criminal Intent
Customer/Client
Worker-on-Worker
Personal Relationship
Understanding the four distinct types of workplace violence is a critical first step in mitigating risks. By recognizing the unique characteristics of each type, organizations can implement tailored strategies to safeguard their teams and create a culture of safety.
Criminal Intent
Criminal intent is the most common type of workplace violence and occurs when the perpetrator has no legitimate connection to the workplace or its employees.
In these cases, the primary motive is often theft, vandalism, or another criminal activity. Violence becomes a means to an end for the perpetrator, such as during a robbery or burglary.
Key Characteristics of Criminal Intent
No Prior Relationship: The offender does not have a legitimate business reason to be on the premises or any prior relationship with the business or employees.
Targeted Locations: Businesses that handle cash or operate late at night, such as convenience stores, gas stations, taxi services, and banks, are at higher risk.
Nature of the Incident: Criminal intent violence may include:
Armed robberies
Assaults during trespassing or burglaries
Violence aimed at disrupting operations or obtaining goods illegally
Examples of Criminal Intent Workplace Violence
A masked intruder enters a store after hours to steal money from the register and threatens the cashier with a weapon.
A trespasser assaults a security guard while trying to gain unauthorized access to a restricted area.
An individual vandalizes property and becomes violent when confronted by employees.
Key Criminal Intent Workplace Violence Statistics
According to a recent report from the CDC, workplace homicides were most common among employees in the following occupations:
Sales and Related Occupations: Representing 21% of workplace homicide victims, this category includes roles like retail workers and cashiers.
Protective-Service Occupations: Police officers, security guards, and other protective-service workers accounted for 19% of workplace homicides.
Management Occupations: Managers and business owners, particularly in industries such as hospitality and retail, made up 9% of workplace homicide victims.
Customer/Client
Customer/Client workplace violence occurs when a customer, client, patient, or other individual receiving services becomes violent toward an employee.
This type of violence is common in industries where workers interact directly with the public, often in high-stress or emotionally charged environments, such as healthcare, social services, education, retail, or hospitality.
Key Characteristics of Customer/Client Violence
Existing Relationship: The perpetrator is someone the business interacts with as part of its services, such as a patient in a hospital, a customer in a retail store, or a client in a professional setting.
Emotional or Stressful Situations: Incidents often arise in situations where emotions run high, such as dissatisfaction with a service, frustration over wait times, or disagreements over policies.
Targeted at Employees: Violence is usually directed at front-line employees, such as nurses, teachers, retail workers, or customer service representatives.
Examples of Customer/Client Violence
A frustrated patient physically assaults a nurse during a disagreement about medical treatment.
A customer throws objects or becomes physically aggressive with a cashier after being told they cannot return an item.
A client threatens or harms a social worker during a home visit in a volatile situation.
Key Customer/Client Workplace Violence Statistics
Prevalence in Healthcare and Social Assistance: According to the CDC, there were 20,050 nonfatal injuries in 2020 resulting from workplace violence in the private industry. 76% of these nonfatal workplace violence injuries occurred in the healthcare and social assistance industries.
High-Risk Occupations: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, service occupations, including healthcare workers, had 25,320 cases of workplace violence resulting in days away from work between 2021 and 2022.
Worker-on-Worker
Worker-on-worker violence, also referred to as horizontal violence or lateral violence, occurs when an employee targets a co-worker with aggressive or violent behavior.
This type of workplace violence often stems from interpersonal conflicts, power dynamics, or unresolved workplace disputes.
It can take various forms, from verbal abuse and threats to physical altercations.
Key Characteristics of Worker-on-Worker Violence
Existing Employee Relationship: The perpetrator and victim are both employees of the same organization, often working in close proximity.
Internal Conflicts: Tensions may arise from personal grievances, professional rivalries, or perceived injustices such as unfair treatment, favoritism, or lack of recognition.
Forms of Violence: Worker-on-worker violence can manifest as:
Physical violence (e.g., fights, pushing, or assault)
Verbal abuse (e.g., yelling, threats, or derogatory comments)
Psychological aggression (e.g., bullying, intimidation, or harassment)
Underlying Causes: Factors contributing to this type of violence include:
Stressful work environments
Poor communication or lack of conflict resolution mechanisms
Toxic workplace cultures
Competition for promotions, roles, or resources
Examples of Worker-on-Worker Violence
A heated argument between two colleagues escalates into a physical altercation.
A supervisor bullies or intimidates an employee, leading to psychological distress.
An employee sabotages a co-worker’s project due to professional jealousy.
Key Worker-on-Worker Violence Statistics
Nonfatal Workplace Injuries: A recent U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics report stated that in 2020 there were 37,060 nonfatal injuries in the workplace resulting from intentional injury by another person.
Workplace Homicides: The same report states that there were 392 workplace homicides in the United States during 2020.
Gender Disparities: According to the CDC, of those who experienced trauma from workplace violence in 2020, 73% were female, and 62% were aged 25-54.
Personal Relationship
Personal relationship workplace violence occurs when the perpetrator has a personal connection with the victim, such as being a current or former spouse, intimate partner, family member, or close acquaintance.
Unlike other types of workplace violence, the aggressor’s primary motive is often personal and unrelated to the workplace itself, but the violence occurs in the workplace setting, putting others at risk.
Key Characteristics of Personal Relationship Violence
Personal Connection: The perpetrator and victim share a personal relationship outside of work, such as a domestic partnership, romantic involvement, or family bond.
Spillover into the Workplace: The aggressor may come to the victim’s workplace or department to harass, threaten, or harm them, potentially endangering other employees.
Broader Impact: While the violence may be targeted at a specific individual, bystanders, co-workers, and the workplace environment as a whole can also be affected.
Examples of Personal Relationship Violence
An estranged partner confronts an employee at work, leading to verbal threats or physical harm.
A family dispute escalates when a relative visits the workplace uninvited.
A stalking situation where the perpetrator repeatedly shows up at the victim’s workplace despite being unwelcome.
Key Personal Relationship Violence Statistics
Workplace Homicides Involving Women: An article published on the National Library of Medicine website states that between 2003 and 2008, 648 women were killed on the job due to felonious acts. Of the 181 cases (33%) committed by personal relation violence, the majority of the perpetrators were intimate partners, responsible for 142 cases (78%). Notably, over half of the workplace homicides committed by intimate partners occurred in parking lots and public buildings, accounting for 91 incidents (51%).
Workplace Harassment: A study conducted by New Beginnings, an organization that supports domestic violence awareness, found that 74% of employed domestic violence survivors were harassed by their partner while at work, leading to safety concerns and decreased productivity.
Victimization Rates: An article published by Health Advocate states that women are disproportionately affected by personal relationship violence in the workplace. Overall, 1 in 4 women in the U.S. will be abused by an intimate partner during her lifetime.
Impact of Workplace Violence on Employers
All four types of violence outlined above can have wide-ranging effects on workplace safety and productivity, including:
Increased absenteeism due to fear or injury.
Lower morale among employees who feel unsafe.
Disruptions to operations caused by security incidents.
Potential legal and reputational consequences for the employer.
Damage to the company’s reputation.
Prevention Strategies for the Four Types of Workplace Violence
Creating a safe workplace requires a proactive approach tailored to address all four types of workplace violence.
Effective prevention strategies should include risk assessment, employee training, clear policies, security measures, and support systems.
Risk Assessment
Conducting regular risk assessments helps identify vulnerabilities and implement targeted measures to mitigate risks.
Criminal Intent: Assess physical vulnerabilities like poorly lit areas, unlocked entrances, and cash-handling procedures.
Customer/Client: Identify high-stress interactions and workplace triggers that may escalate to violence.
Worker-on-Worker: Evaluate workplace culture for signs of conflict, bullying, or employee dissatisfaction.
Personal Relationship: Recognize potential spillover from domestic issues by offering confidential reporting mechanisms.
Employee Training
Training employees to recognize, respond to, and report potential violence is essential.
Criminal Intent: Teach employees how to handle robberies, trespassers, or suspicious behavior safely.
Customer/Client: Provide de-escalation training to manage aggressive or emotionally charged individuals.
Worker-on-Worker: Equip employees and managers with conflict resolution skills to prevent escalation.
Personal Relationship: Offer education on recognizing signs of domestic violence and how to access workplace resources.
Clear Policies
Establishing and communicating clear policies ensures that employees understand expectations and protocols for workplace safety.
Criminal Intent: Define procedures for handling threats, robberies, or unauthorized access, and outline when to involve law enforcement.
Customer/Client: Set boundaries for acceptable behavior and provide guidelines for refusing service when safety is at risk.
Worker-on-Worker: Implement a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, harassment, and violence, with clear consequences.
Personal Relationship: Develop policies to support victims of domestic violence, including accommodations like flexible schedules or security escorts.
Security Measures
Implementing physical and procedural security measures helps deter and address potential violence.
Criminal Intent: Install surveillance cameras, alarm systems, and secure entry points.
Customer/Client: Use panic buttons, controlled access areas, and visible security personnel to protect employees.
Worker-on-Worker: Ensure discreet reporting channels and access control to prevent unauthorized interactions.
Personal Relationship: Provide secure parking areas and escort services, and limit access for non-employees.
Support Systems
Support systems empower employees to feel safe and valued while addressing incidents effectively.
Criminal Intent: Offer counseling for employees affected by traumatic events like robberies or threats.
Customer/Client: Provide emotional support and resources for employees managing aggressive interactions.
Worker-on-Worker: Create a culture of trust with anonymous reporting tools and employee assistance programs (EAPs).
Personal Relationship: Partner with domestic violence organizations to provide resources, counseling, and training for employees and managers.
How Kaseware’s Solutions Support Workplace Violence Prevention
While we do not directly provide threat assessment tools, our platform is designed to complement and enhance the effectiveness of such tools.
By integrating data from assessments like the Workplace Assessment of Violence Risk tool (WAVR-21) or consultations with experts such as Sikich, Kaseware enables organizations to manage, analyze, and act on critical information. This allows organizations to transform raw data into actionable insights, supporting robust workplace violence prevention efforts.
Here’s how we help organizations prevent and address workplace violence:
Anonymous Reporting via Public Portals
Encouraging employees to report concerns or incidents anonymously is crucial for early intervention.
Kaseware’s Public Portals for companies provide secure and anonymous channels for employees to share potential risks or issues.
These portals foster a culture of transparency and trust while ensuring sensitive matters are addressed before they escalate into larger problems.
Additionally, anonymous reporting helps organizations identify trends, enabling proactive solutions to workplace challenges.
Centralized Case Management Tools
Managing workplace violence incidents requires organization, efficiency, and thorough documentation.
Kaseware’s Case Management tools allow organizations to centralize data on incidents, ensuring all relevant information is stored in one secure location.
With advanced tracking and search capabilities, teams can streamline investigations, plan effective responses, and comply with regulatory requirements.
The platform also allows seamless collaboration between departments or external partners, ensuring no detail is overlooked.
Enhanced Insights with Link Analysis
Patterns often emerge across seemingly unrelated incidents, and identifying these connections is vital to prevention.
Our Link Analysis tool uncovers relationships between incidents, individuals, or locations, helping organizations spot recurring threats or underlying issues.
By visualizing these connections, organizations can target their prevention strategies more effectively and allocate resources to areas of greatest need.
Reporting Dashboards for Data-Driven Decisions
Data is only valuable when it leads to actionable insights.
Kaseware’s customizable Reporting Dashboards give organizations a comprehensive view of workplace violence trends, providing the information needed to make informed decisions.
Whether tracking incident frequency, assessing response times, or evaluating the effectiveness of prevention measures, these dashboards ensure that leaders can monitor progress and adapt strategies to evolving risks.
A Holistic Approach to Workplace Violence Prevention
By integrating data from threat assessments into Kaseware’s platform, organizations can gain a deeper understanding of risks, track incidents over time, and implement tailored prevention strategies.
From anonymous reporting and centralized case management to link analysis and insightful dashboards, Kaseware offers the tools needed to create safer workplaces.
With Kaseware, organizations are empowered to move beyond reactive measures and adopt proactive, data-driven approaches to workplace violence prevention—building trust, improving safety, and fostering a culture of well-being.
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You may also schedule a demo to see how we can effectively and efficiently support your workplace safety efforts.