The prevalence of workplace violence appears to be increasing, with 30% of workers reporting they saw workplace violence happen to another employee, up from 25% in 2024, according to an Aug. 6 report from Traliant, an online compliance training company.
In addition, 15% said they were the target of workplace violence themselves, up from 12% in 2024. As workplace violence increases, employers can implement enhanced preventive strategies, response protocols and organizational support systems, the report found.
“The survey findings should serve as a wake-up call for organizations nationwide,” Bailey Whitsitt, compliance counsel at Traliant, said in a news release. “Safety can’t be a check-the-box initiative — it must be a cultural priority.”
In a survey of more than 1,000 full-time U.S. employees, exposure to workplace violence varied by industry, with 46% of hospitality workers saying they’ve witnessed it.
Although most employees report experiencing harassment from supervisors and co-workers, employees also report harassment and violence from clients and customers, Traliant experts previously said. HR pros can help workers navigate these customer-related scenarios, ranging from annoying behavior to outright violence, through company policies and education.
Three-quarters of employees said they received workplace violence prevention training, up from 70% the year before. But only 60% of workers said they’d report safety threats without the guarantee of anonymity.
Notably, 93% of survey respondents said they believe all states should mandate workplace violence prevention laws, similar to those passed in California and New York. This has increased from 90% in 2024.
In California, for instance, a state law requires most employers to implement workplace violence prevention plans. These plans should be accessible, specific and contain anti-reprisal clauses so employees feel comfortable speaking up, attorneys told HR Dive.