Given that May is Mental Health Awareness Month, this is an ideal time to explore some of the ways in which HR professionals can embrace an important and evolving role in preventing workplace violence and keep our organizations and people safe.
 

In an environment where remote and hybrid work models are disconnecting growing numbers of employees from the social support and structure of the workplace, HR professionals are faced with new and evolving challenges. Whether it is concerns about disgruntled employees or rising incidents of domestic violence and mental health difficulties, HR professionals are on the front lines when it comes to managing and mitigating workplace threats.

Bridging the Gap

One of the first and most important things HR professionals can do is to bridge the communication and collaboration gap that exists far too often between HR and security professionals. Insufficient communication and sometimes even tension is not just counterproductive; it is missing a valuable opportunity to be a force multiplier. If we can get past a traditional mindset, work through institutional barriers, and embrace some of the natural synergies that exist when it comes to human resources and institutional security, we can do great things together.
 
It can be as simple as asking our counterparts in security what would be beneficial instead of making assumptions. For example, a security professional standing guard outside the door when an employee is being let go can send the wrong message and ultimately make a situation more tense. Alternatively, an HR professional might not see potential threats in the same way as a trained security expert.

In one eye-opening example, security removed a large knife that remained on a conference table from an employee’s birthday celebration earlier in the day before a separation discussion. HR professionals can be security’s eyes and ears in myriad ways, particularly if they know what to look for and have open lines of communication with their security counterparts. The bottom line is that those conversations need to happen, they need to happen before an incident arises, and they need to be intentional and collaborative.

Separation Anxiety

The role of HR in involuntary separations has been a hot one lately, and those interactions, and the anxiety and animosity they can generate, are correctly viewed by corporate security professionals as potential flash points—especially for employees who may already be struggling with mental health challenges or personal stressors. The reality is that being sensitive to employees’ mental health (both for the individual leaving the organization and the remaining team members) is extraordinarily positive from a security standpoint.
 
HR professionals looking to make those encounters as sensitive and safe as possible should think beyond the risky mindset that they need to race to resolve difficult encounters and remove employees as quickly as possible. Moving quicker doesn’t usually decrease angst or increase security. Instead, think carefully about what you want that goodbye to look and feel like.

You've just taken somebody who might be frustrated, who might have grievances with the organization, and given them potentially huge new life stressors. You've taken away their source of income and professional identity and given them a whole lot of time to think about all that frustration. And so one of the biggest shifts for HR professionals who work more closely with security has been to start thinking about that ongoing relationship with an employee in a very different way.

Essentially, every employee is forever an alumnus of your organization—and you should strive to make that relationship as positive as possible. Removing an employee from the work environment doesn’t do nearly as much to improve security as making that employee feel as positive and supported as possible given the circumstances. That individual is going to remember that goodbye conversation for the rest of their lives. Treating them with kindness and empathy and offering to help with resumes or interviews or even extending health insurance and benefits to ensure they get the help they may need for a reasonable period of time can be enormously impactful.
 
Recognize also that current employees' feelings about the organization are often viewed through the lens of how they see you treating others. Operating with care and consideration also sends an important internal message to other employees.
 
The job isn’t done after an employee exits. Do your homework and coordinate with security to address any concerning communications or behaviors, and then communicate clearly and responsibly with all employees to minimize rumors and unnecessary concerns moving forward.

Red Flags and Ripple Effects

If HR’s role is clear when it comes to managing involuntary separations in ways designed to mitigate security concerns, the picture can be somewhat cloudier when it comes to doing the work ahead of time to identify and address red flags and concerns—especially when it comes to employee mental health.
 
Nonetheless, for HR professionals, recognizing the potential mental health implications of hybrid and remote work models is critically important. A recent Gallup worldwide poll found that more than 300 million people reported not having a single friend—and one in five people don't have anybody they can call if something bad happens to them. That isolation can be exacerbated by working from home and is creating what the surgeon general called an epidemic of loneliness in many workplaces. That loneliness can lead to harm to self or to others. HR pros need to do everything they can to address these deep concerns about a workforce that is disconnected.

While personal check-ins with direct supervisors can help, HR can also play a role in establishing genuine connections with employees by focusing on respect and relationship building during interactions with team members. Oftentimes, HR’s direct communication with employees comes during stressful moments, such as benefit changes, complicated leave or medical situations and employee investigations. A record of rapport and trust built up with employees in advance is an important factor in how these situations play out.

Additionally, HR serves an important role in cultivating a culture of trust and connection in tandem with leadership. As we coach leaders during training and policy recommendations, instilling the need for meaningful employee relationships is one of our most important safety and prevention tools — and it’s the right thing to do.
 
The line between privacy and security is more interconnected than ever, which is why HR and security communication is so valuable. They are natural partners who can combine diverse perspectives to support and elevate each other and make their employees and workplaces more secure.

Author Bio

Melissa Muir, JD, is a Senior Threat Management Consultant with Pinkerton’s Global Threat Management Group. Melissa brings more than a quarter century of HR experience to her work, which is focused on strengthening the health and safety of organizations. Through her work over the last decade with the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP), she has trained thousands of people worldwide on bridging the gap between security and human resources, and she brings unique insight into building meaningful multidisciplinary partnerships.

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