Workplace Safety Outside the Front Door

Employers hold a crucial responsibility for the safety and security of their employees that extends beyond the physical boundaries of the workplace. This includes the vicinity around the building or campus extending to areas your employees travel to for their commute.  External safety consideration should be given not only for the potential legal obligations a company may have, but also as a moral and ethical duty to the safety and wellbeing of their employees.  Contemplate the areas proximal to your workplace.  How prevalent is crime in these areas?  Are team members able to travel from their cars, buses, or trains without fearing for their safety? 

Aspire to a broader view of workplace safety, outside the front door. This can involve a range of measures, including but not limited to:

Security Measures: From the moment employees leave the workplace, provide well-lit pathways, escorts for late hours, and secure parking.  Encourage travel to cars or buses in groups rather than alone.

Awareness and Training: Educating employees on personal safety measures and provide training on how to handle potential threats or unsafe situations outside the workplace. Remind employees to stay alert and to notice if someone or something appears unusual or out of place.

Collaboration with Local Authorities: Working with local law enforcement or community safety programs to ensure the areas surrounding the workplace are monitored and safe. Local law enforcement may be open to deploying a patrol car in busy areas during certain times upon request.

Remote Work and Flexible Hours: Allowing for flexible working hours or remote work options to minimize risks associated with commuting during late hours or through unsafe areas. Adjusting a shift by an hour could potentially mean the difference between walking to the parking ramp alone or alongside a larger group.

Emergency Response Plan: Having a clear plan in place for emergencies that can impact employees outside the workplace, including how the organization can assist in such situations. Ensure the plan is clearly disseminated throughout your organization.

Make sure employees have all appropriate phones numbers in addition to 911 such as the security office and the threat management team. This gives them what's needed to report security concerns before, during or after an event takes place.

It is always good to urge employees to voice concerns about scenarios that cause them to feel unsafe. It's very possible there are circumstances you're unaware of. Everyone is a stakeholder in their safety.

These measures reflect an organization's commitment to employee wellbeing as a holistic concept, recognizing that the impact of workplace violence or the perception of safety does not end at the workplace door. It underscores the idea that a safe, supportive, and caring work environment contributes significantly to overall employee satisfaction, loyalty, and productivity.

Author - Korey Staley – Is an instructor for The Center for Personal Protection and Safety (CPPS), where he specializes in violence prevention, threat mitigation, de-escalation techniques, and active shooter response. Korey has over 20 years of military experience and continues to contract with the Department of Defense (DOD) on captivity survival. This encompasses a range of situations including prisoner of war, foreign government detention, and hostage.