Professionalism in the work place, code of conduct, work place hostility, work place aggression,

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# Violence in the Workplace Safe Job Procedure ## What is workplace violence? Workplace violence is any act in which a person is harassed, abused, threatened, intimidated or assaulted in their place of work. Harassment includes discrimination based on: race, religion, sex, marital status, physical disability, political opinion, age or nationality. ## Notice the signs of possible aggression in fellow employees. Each situation is different and using personal judgement is required when identifying an aggressive person. These behaviors do not necessarily mean a person will become violent but could indicate that they are currently troubled or under an excessive amount of stress. Warning Signs: • Crying or temper tantrums. • Complaints of problems without resolving them. • Poor personal hygiene. • Unpredictable behavior. • Verbalizes negative thoughts towards others. • Confusion or distraction. • Pushing the limits of acceptable conduct. • Poor quality work. • Unable to focus on tasks. - Absenteeism. • Disruptive at work. • Substance abuse. 36 Nova Scotia Safety Manual for Businesses | Safe Job Procedures

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# Substance Use in the Workplace (cont.) ## Are there elements of work that may contribute to the use of substances? (cont.) - fatigue, - repetitious duties, - periods of inactivity or boredom, - isolation, - lack of opportunity for promotion, - lack of, remote, or irregular supervision, and - easy access to substances. ## What can the workplace do? The workplace can be an important place to help address substance use issues. Employers and employees can collaborate to design a management of impairment policy that outlines what is an acceptable code of behaviour and what is not. The main goal is that workplaces are encouraged to establish a procedure or policy so that help can be provided in a professional and consistent manner. It is important for supervisors and managers to have a resource or procedure that they can rely on if the need arises. Employees need to know that everyone will be treated the same way. These actions help to reduce the stigma associated with substance use. When stigma is reduced, it is hoped that people will seek help without fear, and will speak openly about substance use issues. Early treatment and support are encouraged. In addition, managers and supervisors should be educated in how to recognize and manage substance use issues, and employees should be offered educational programs. Recall it is not the role of the supervisor or employer to diagnose a possible substance use or dependency problem. Their role is to identify if an employee is impaired and to take the appropriate steps as per the organization's policy. By establishing or promoting programs such as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), employers can help employees more directly or provide referrals to community services. Note that under federal, provincial, and territorial human rights legislation, substance use disorder is considered a disability. Discrimination based on disability is not legal. Employers have a duty to accommodate disabilities to the point of un…

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# Recognition and Reward (cont.) ## What are other issues in the workplace that may affect mental health? (cont.) - harassment - any behaviour that demeans, embarrasses, humiliates, annoys, alarms or verbally abuses a person and that is known or would be expected to be unwelcome. This act includes words, gestures, intimidation, bullying, or other inappropriate activities. - verbal abuse - swearing, insults or condescending language - physical attacks - hitting, shoving, pushing or kicking - bullying - repeated, unreasonable or inappropriate behaviour directed towards an employee (or group of employees) that creates a risk to health and safety - mobbing - ongoing, systematic bullying of an individual by his or her co-workers - this includes rudeness and physical intimidation, as well as more subtle and possibly unintentional behaviour involving social ostracism and exclusion Most jurisdictional occupational health and safety acts have been expanded to include harm to psychological well-being. Organizations should not tolerate any violent behaviour including aggression, harassment or threats of violence. Violent or aggressive behaviour hurts the mental health of everyone in the organization and creates a psychologically unsafe work environment filled with fear and anxiety. For more information on workplace violence, see the OSH Answers Violence and Harassment in the Workplace. Substance Use, and Problematic Substance Use at Work - Substance use, problematic substance use, and coping strategies can have a significant impact on mental health at work. Addictions and mental health conditions are often coupled (called a concurrent disorder). However, it is often the addiction that first gets noticed, especially in the workplace. Generally, substance use becomes a problem when an individual has lost control over their use or continues to use despite experiencing negative consequences. Employers should look for warning signs that indicate an employee may be struggl…