Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
How HR handles violence in the workplace
Specialization | Corporate wellness
How HR handles violence in the workplace
Former HR leader at Microsoft and Amazon says 'safety is non-negotiable'
BY John Corrigan / 07 Apr 2022
Now that tempers have cooled since the infamous Oscars slap, it’s a good time to analyze the situation from an HR perspective. After all, the Academy Awards is basically a work event for actors.
“When looking at this situation from a workplace professionalism standpoint, it's important to think not of celebrities, but of everyday workers,” Mikaela Kiner, founder and CEO of Seattle-based HR consultancy Reverb, told HRD. An official member of the Forbes Human Resources Council, Kiner has previously served in HR leadership roles at both Microsoft and Amazon. ... “We’re prone to expect and sometimes accept different behavior from celebrities,” Kiner says. “But imagine if an employee in your company got up and slapped their coworker. Guaranteed you would be shocked, horrified and afraid.”
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognizes workplace violence as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the worksite. Acts of violence and other injuries is currently the third-leading cause of fatal occupational injuries in the United States. OSHA estimates that more than 2 million people are affected by workplace violence every year. In 2020, assaults at the workplace resulted in 20,050 injuries and 392 fatalities, according to Injury Facts, a publication from the National Safety Council.
{snip}
As many on social media have pointed out, Will Smith wouldn’t have felt the need to slap Chris Rock if the latter didn’t make a joke about the former’s wife’s medical condition. Although Rock is a legendary comedian, critics argue that he crossed the line. If someone else made a comment like that about a colleague, you can bet HR would get involved. ... “I'm glad that Chris Rock's offensive joke is coming under scrutiny,” Kiner says. “Humor isn’t an excuse to insult anyone, and the fact that his comment was about another individual's medical condition means it was more than just a joke in poor taste.”
{snip}
How HR handles violence in the workplace
Former HR leader at Microsoft and Amazon says 'safety is non-negotiable'
BY John Corrigan / 07 Apr 2022
Now that tempers have cooled since the infamous Oscars slap, it’s a good time to analyze the situation from an HR perspective. After all, the Academy Awards is basically a work event for actors.
“When looking at this situation from a workplace professionalism standpoint, it's important to think not of celebrities, but of everyday workers,” Mikaela Kiner, founder and CEO of Seattle-based HR consultancy Reverb, told HRD. An official member of the Forbes Human Resources Council, Kiner has previously served in HR leadership roles at both Microsoft and Amazon. ... “We’re prone to expect and sometimes accept different behavior from celebrities,” Kiner says. “But imagine if an employee in your company got up and slapped their coworker. Guaranteed you would be shocked, horrified and afraid.”
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognizes workplace violence as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the worksite. Acts of violence and other injuries is currently the third-leading cause of fatal occupational injuries in the United States. OSHA estimates that more than 2 million people are affected by workplace violence every year. In 2020, assaults at the workplace resulted in 20,050 injuries and 392 fatalities, according to Injury Facts, a publication from the National Safety Council.
{snip}
As many on social media have pointed out, Will Smith wouldn’t have felt the need to slap Chris Rock if the latter didn’t make a joke about the former’s wife’s medical condition. Although Rock is a legendary comedian, critics argue that he crossed the line. If someone else made a comment like that about a colleague, you can bet HR would get involved. ... “I'm glad that Chris Rock's offensive joke is coming under scrutiny,” Kiner says. “Humor isn’t an excuse to insult anyone, and the fact that his comment was about another individual's medical condition means it was more than just a joke in poor taste.”
{snip}