Home : Violence at work

Violence in organizations, as an emerging global phenomenon, is proving to be one of the realities associated with several mental health problems in the workplace. The magnitude of this issue, which is a great concern, is demanding particular attention on the part of employers, governments and unions. The aim of this Web site is therefore to share intraining about the current situation of workplace violence.

Examining workplace violence, to use a metaphor, involves starting from the drop of water that can make a cup overflow. The shock waves at the origin of such attacks are detected, and then we follow these waves of problems, flowing with the current to the legal decisions downstream. On the way, we stop over on islands of specialized resources regarding this phenomenon, navigating towards the calmer waters of promising solutions. This Web site was designed with this metaphor in mind

We will begin with a presentation of general facts on workplace violence and its repercussions, and then outline the main factors related to its definitions and causes. This will be followed by an overview of preventive measures to combat this phenomenon, and an examination of laws and regulations as well as legal precedents dealing with workplace violence. Next, suggested development of and advice on administrative policies related to anti-violence in the workplace as well as examples of such will be set out. Orientations for research and practical applications will be suggested to various actors mobilized against this phenomenon. Lastly, we will complement this intraining with references to a few key resources.

The Commission des normes du travail has developed a tool on psychological harassment in a work setting. This tool is intended for managers who wish to present to their personnel an intraining and awareness promotion session on psychological harassment at work. This kit has been designed to support you during awareness promotion activities intended for members of your staff.

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Quebec City, April 8, 2004. - The Chaire en gestion de la santé et de la sécurité du travail de l'Université Laval (Chair in Occupational Health and Safety Management at Université Laval) carried out a Quebec-wide survey on psychological harassment in the workplace involving 1005 participants. Among employed respondents, 7% said they had been voluntarily isolated from others by an individual or a group, 7% said they had been put down or ridiculed in front of others and 9% said they had been victims of offensive, threatening or degrading remarks.

The presumed harasser can be one or several co-workers (41%), the immediate supervisor (32%), a client or clients (15%) or even one or more subordinate employees (30%).

Among those who claim to be victims of psychological harassment in the workplace, 43% consider such harassment to be minor or subtle remarks or acts. Jean-Pierre Brun, Professor at Université Laval and Director of the Chair, explains that "psychological harassment is usually not a visible and public gesture, but rather a subtle event which is carried out in a covert manner, and this makes it all the more difficult to detect through mediation or an inquiry." (translation)

Moreover, 78% of non-unionized respondents who said they had experienced psychological harassment in the workplace said they would be willing to file a complaint with the Commission des normes du travail(CNT, labour standards commission). Therefore, a substantial number of requests for intervention on the part of the CNT are to be expected since the new provisions concerning the prevention of psychological harassment in the workplace came into effect on June 1st, 2004. Mr. Brun mentions that there will be a need to proceed cautiously since, "according to the Belgian experience, where a similar law came into force nearly three years ago, approximately 60% of complaints filed are not recognized as psychological harassment in the workplace. This does not, however, mean that there is no other problem of tension between people involved in the situation reported."

"At present, the extent of psychological harassment in the workplace in Quebec organizations has not really been determined. A few sector-based studies have been carried out (in education, the public service and health), but no global portrait has been drawn of the situation among employed Quebeckers. The results of this survey are an attempt to fill this gap," concludes Professor Brun.