Workplace homicides are rising once again in the United States—an alarming and underreported trend. After two decades of steady decline, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 392 workplace homicides in 2020, an 11% increase from 2014. The overall landscape of workplace violence is even more concerning: an estimated 1.3 million nonfatal violent incidents occur each year, including assaults, robberies, and sexual violence. Yet despite the growing risks, workplace violence prevention remains an afterthought for many organizations—leaving employees vulnerable and unprepared.
Not Enough Attention
In boardrooms and executive suites, workplace violence is rarely viewed with the urgency it deserves. Many leaders remain unaware that violence is now one of the leading causes of occupational fatalities, especially in retail, healthcare, and service industries. OSHA does not yet have a federal workplace violence standard, meaning companies must proactively address the issue—yet too many are reactive at best. As a result, prevention often falls through the cracks, buried beneath other operational concerns. The reality is clear: many businesses won’t prioritize this issue until tragedy strikes.
Recent Incidents Raise Alarm
Sadly, those tragedies are happening with increasing frequency. In the past year alone, retail workers have been shot during robberies, healthcare workers fatally assaulted by patients, and disgruntled employees have brought guns into offices. These headlines reflect only a fraction of the problem—many incidents never make the news. For example, violence in healthcare is so common that 76% of nonfatal workplace trauma cases in 2020 occurred in healthcare and social assistance. In retail, confrontations over shoplifting, customer rage, and domestic disputes often escalate in stores—but many incidents go unreported or underreported. Every incident, whether fatal or not, leaves lasting trauma on employees, families, and communities.
Lack of Awareness
Part of the problem is a widespread lack of awareness. Many leaders underestimate the risk, believing violence “won’t happen here.” Others mistakenly view it as random or unavoidable. But most incidents are not random—they are preventable with the right culture, awareness, and controls. Key risk factors include hostile customer interactions, failure to address escalating behaviors, toxic internal cultures, and lack of screening or intervention for at-risk individuals. When companies don’t recognize these root causes, they miss critical opportunities to prevent violence before it occurs.
Root Causes Run Deep
The root causes of workplace violence run deeper than surface-level security issues. Poor leadership, unaddressed bullying or harassment, unmanaged employee stress, and permissive workplace cultures create environments where violence is more likely to occur. In retail and healthcare especially, constant customer-facing stress, understaffing, and poor support systems leave front-line workers vulnerable. Additionally, domestic violence can spill into the workplace if not addressed through supportive HR policies. Addressing these root causes requires a holistic approach—one that includes not just physical security but also cultural and behavioral interventions.
Lack of Employee Training
One of the most glaring gaps in workplace violence prevention is training. Too often, employees are expected to “figure it out” on their own when faced with aggressive customers, threatening behavior, or volatile coworkers. Many have no training in de-escalation techniques, how to recognize warning signs, or how to safely report concerns. In some industries, front-line staff are specifically told not to engage in confrontations but are given no tools to manage these situations. Even when companies adopt workplace violence policies, they frequently lack the robust, scenario-based training needed to make them actionable and effective.
Security Investments Are Lagging
While some companies are stepping up with security investments—such as panic buttons, controlled entry, video surveillance, and dedicated security personnel—many still lag behind. In industries like retail and healthcare, budgets for violence prevention are often thin, and security measures inconsistent. In many cases, front-line employees are left as the first—and only—line of defense. Forward-thinking organizations recognize that investments in environmental design, real-time monitoring, and responsive security protocols pay off in both safety and employee morale. But widespread adoption of such investments remains the exception, not the rule.
The Case for Stronger Regulations
Recognizing the urgency, some states are taking action. California’s new law requires all employers to implement workplace violence prevention programs by mid-2024. Texas has mandated that hospitals and healthcare providers adopt workplace violence prevention policies by September 2024. These laws are an important step toward making prevention a proactive requirement rather than an afterthought. But without a strong federal OSHA standard, gaps will remain—and employees in many industries and states will continue to face uneven protections.
Building a Culture of Safety
At its core, effective prevention is about culture. Companies must move beyond checkbox compliance and foster a true culture of safety and trust. This includes visible leadership commitment, comprehensive training, easy and confidential reporting channels, and ongoing review of workplace dynamics. Employees should feel empowered to report concerns without fear of retaliation—and leaders must be prepared to take swift, supportive action. Regular drills, open communication, and alignment with law enforcement can further strengthen workplace readiness.
As workplace violence and homicides continue to rise, the message is clear: this is a preventable crisis—but only if businesses, regulators, and leaders take it seriously. Awareness must improve. Training must be strengthened. Security investments must be prioritized. And most importantly, every company must foster a culture where employee safety is non-negotiable. The cost of inaction is measured not just in dollars—but in lives.
