Date published: 2023-07-26 | Category: Wellbeing support, Delivering for local residents
Unacceptable behaviour towards Bath and North East Somerset Council workers by a minority of the public is being highlighted in a new campaign aimed at raising awareness of the violent and aggressive behaviour staff frequently have to face.
The campaign is linked to a new Violence, Aggression, Threatening and Challenging Behaviour (Staff Safety) Policy which is being rolled out by the authority.
Examples of unacceptable behaviour over the past year include one worker being driven at, a female colleague followed back to her workplace and threatened with physical violence and another member of staff threatened with a hammer.
Staff also reported being sworn and shouted at, being trolled on social media and receiving persistent aggressive calls, visits or emails.
Councillor Kevin Guy, leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “Most people treat our staff with respect and they value the many services we provide to help improve people’s lives. Yet our staff sometimes face the risk of work-related violence, aggression, threatening or challenging behaviour from a small minority of the public. None of our staff should ever have to experience this as part of their job.
“As an employer we are committed to providing and maintaining a safe working environment and safe systems of work for all staff which includes contractors and volunteers. We are taking a zero-tolerance approach towards unacceptable behaviour and the aim of the policy and campaign is to provide information to stop, control and respond to customers who are behaving in violent, aggressive, threatening or challenging manner. We all deserve to be safe at work and be treated with respect.”
ENDS