Additional Indicators of Potential Workplace Violence

Note: This list of behaviors is not comprehensive, nor is it intended as a mechanism for diagnosing violent tendencies.

Indicators of potentially violent behavior by an employee may include:

  • Increased use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs.
  • Unexplained increase in absenteeism; vague physical complaints.
  • Noticeable decrease in attention to appearance and hygiene.
  • Depression and/or withdrawal.
  • Resistance and overreaction to changes in policy and procedures.
  • Repeated violations of organizational policies.
  • Increased severe mood swings.
  • Noticeably unstable, emotional responses.
  • Explosive outbursts of anger or rage without provocation.
  • Suicidal; comments about “putting things in order.”
  • Behavior that may suggest paranoia (e.g., “everybody is against me”).
  • Increasingly frequent mentions of problems at home.
  • Escalation of domestic problems into the workplace.
  • Talk of severe financial problems.
  • Talk of previous incidents of violence.
  • Empathy with individuals committing violence.
  • Increase in unsolicited comments about firearms, other dangerous weapons, and violent crimes.