Risk Assessment and Management Teams: A Comprehensive Approach to Early Intervention in Workplace Violence

Abstract

The consequences of workplace violence are too great for organizations to be surprised by or unprepared to reduce the risk. Risk Assessment and Management (RAM) Teams offer employers proactive, coordinated, and planned strategies to identify and address troubling behaviors before they become violent. RAM Teams look to identify potential problems before they evolve into crises. They help coordinate intervention strategies that seek to promptly investigate, evaluate, and effectively respond to minimize the danger and the harm to their employees. RAM Teams reduce their organizations’ vulnerabilities by planning effective policies and procedures, employment practices, security measures, and prevention education. Building a successful RAM Team requires a clearly defined mission statement, senior management commitment, operational protocols, financial and material resources, talented and committed members, a team Champion, and minimal organizational resistance.