As sexual harassment was the training topic of the 90s,workplace violence appears to be the topic for this decade. Courts and juries are beginning to issue large settlements to the victims of workplace violence. All businesses, no matter the size, will have to start evaluating the safety of their locations.

There is no way to ever completely protect yourself and your business from workplace violence, just as countries have found they can not protect themselves from terrorism or schools from the random acts of violence. But by showing effort in prevention and recognition programs, you can prevent unnecessary violence from occurring.

The need for seminars on Workplace Violence for business owners, managers and supervisors, is high and growing daily in this country.

The definition of violence is "any word, look, sign, or act that hurts a person's body, feeling, or thing." (as outlined in the No Bullying/Victim Violence Training Program). Too many people think workplace violence is only those sensational stories we hear on the news. Stories about wild shooting sprees and multiple deaths.

Workplace violence should be considered anything that evokes the feeling outlined in the definition. Schools have bullies and when those bullies grow up, you find them in the workplace as well. Add angry customers; increased workloads and people with problems in their lives and you have the not-so-perfect formula for workplace violence. Most incidents of WPV never reach the level of national news coverage, but they do create problems with productivity, and employee retention. Not to mention the ever-present threat of litigation.

Workplace Violence is the training topic of the new decade. Companies must have stated workplace violence policies and provide training to all employees on the recognition and prevention of such.