Murder Of TV News Crew Raises Questions About Workplace Violence

DETROIT (WWJ) - Dan Bretz of Clark Hill Detroit advises employers in workplace labor issues and says many workplaces are now offering active shooter training to deal with potential violence.

Bretz says there are steps managers can take to make sure such situations don't arise.

"A lot of problems in the workforce come from perception or the reality of inconsistent treatment. When the workplace is irrational and inconsistent and there's the appearance of favoritism," says Bretz, "that's when people become disconnected and that's when some of these behaviors can come to the fore."

He tells WWJ's Sandra McNeill that all the security in the world can't stop someone determined to exact violence. "I think really you've got -- could this person have been recognized as a risk or a threat?"

"Many of my clients actually have policies set up, have precautions set up - have the right kind of screening mechanisms in place and even provide training -- on such things as active shooters in the workplace. It's gotten to that point where it's becoming more and more commonplace," says Bretz.

He says the big problem managers make is ignoring problems that workers bring to them.

"Allowing employees to vent always them to deescalate some of these situations - allowing them to be heard - if some one is in a violent or emotional state -- not responding in like kind is helpful."

When employees don't understand what management is doing - whether it's a disciplinary action or corporate reorganizations or change in the organization - when people don't understand that - they can react negatively and those reactions can range from being disengaged all the way to potentially violent says Bretz.

Bretz says human resources employees should run background checks and do other screenings to weed out those who have the potential to become violent.