Employee safety perception following workplace terrorism: a longitudinal study

Abstract

Terrorism at the workplace represents an extreme form of workplace violence potentially affecting large numbers of individuals. Evidence suggests that workplace violence adversely affects employees’ health and work functioning by increasing perceived threat and decreasing perceived safety.The objective of this study was to explore longitudinal associations between perceived safety at work among employees exposed to a workplace terrorist attack and their views on security measures and emergency preparedness.The study comprised a three-wave follow-up of earlier cross-sectional studies on perceived safety at work in ministerial employees exposed to a terrorist attack in Oslo, Norway, in 2011 (N = 3065). Linear mixed-effects modelling was used to explore how perceived safety at work was associated with employees’ perceptions on the prioritization of security measures at work, their knowledge of evacuation procedures, and the extent of escape and evacuation training.The more employees believed security measures were sufficiently prioritized at work and the better their knowledge of evacuation procedures, the higher they rated perceived safety at work. These findings applied both across employees (between-subject effects) and within employees across time (within-subject effects). Employees’ views on the extent of escape and evacuation training were not strongly associated with perceived safety at work. Secondary analysis showed that post-traumatic stress reactions were negatively associated with perceived safety at work, and that the positive association between knowledge of evacuation procedures and perceived safety at work was weaker in women and more educated employees.In conclusion, following terrorism at the workplace, employees’ perceived safety at work might be increased if employers prioritize security measures and provide good information on evacuation procedures. For employees with high levels of post-traumatic stress reactions, adequate treatment of these reactions will be likely to lead to enhanced perceived safety at work.

A decennial review of psychotraumatology: what did we learn and where are we going?

“…Thus, today's research reflects both primary and secondary traumatization as well as research into associated risk and protective factors in various occupational groups (e.g. bank employees, ministerial employees, humanitarian staff, military services, police officers, mental care professionals, journalists, first responders, industrial disasters, and therapists (Backholm & Björkqvist, 2012;Christiansen & Hansen, 2015;Greinacher et al, 2019;Hansen & Elklit, 2011;Koch et al, 2017;Nissen, Hansen, Nielsen, Knardahl, & Heir, 2019; Ponce de León, Andersen, Karstoft, & Elklit, 2018;Skogstad et al, 2013: Sodeke-Gregson et al, 2013Strohmeier & Scholte, 2015;Yehuda et al, 2014). Specifically, this has included an increased awareness and focus on risk and protective factors not only at an individual level but also at an organizational level (Greinacher et al, 2019;Koch et al, 2017;Nissen et al, 2019).…”

“…special training). Indeed, research indicates that special training has been associated with decreased risk of PTSD (Nissen et al, 2019;Skogstad et al, 2013) and that certain factors, e.g. employee safety perception may be important factors to target interventions after (Hansen & Elklit, 2011;Nissen et al, 2019).…”

“…Indeed, research indicates that special training has been associated with decreased risk of PTSD (Nissen et al, 2019;Skogstad et al, 2013) and that certain factors, e.g. employee safety perception may be important factors to target interventions after (Hansen & Elklit, 2011;Nissen et al, 2019). However, more research is needed in relation to how perceived safety can be targeted in training and treatment, and whether it leads to the improvements in mental health and functioning (Nissen et al, 2019).…”

“…employee safety perception may be important factors to target interventions after (Hansen & Elklit, 2011;Nissen et al, 2019). However, more research is needed in relation to how perceived safety can be targeted in training and treatment, and whether it leads to the improvements in mental health and functioning (Nissen et al, 2019).…”

Is perceived safety and threat after workplace terrorism linked to employee sick-leave? A registry-based longitudinal study of governmental employees in Norway

“…Limited research has explored threat and safety perception in employees whose workplace was targeted in a terrorist attack, even though the workplace is a common target for terrorism and could play a role in mitigation and recovery (Howie, 2007 ; North et al, 2010 ; Schouten, Callahan, & Bryant, 2004 ). Available evidence suggests these employees experience similar heightened fears and reduced safety at work (Grieger, Fullerton, & Ursano, 2003a ; Grieger, Fullerton, Ursano, & Reeves, 2003b ; Nissen, Birkeland Nielsen, Solberg, Bang Hansen, & Heir, 2015 ; Nissen, Hansen, Nielsen, Knardahl, & Heir, 2019 ). In fact, the experiences are no confined to employees whose workplace was directly affected by an attack (i.e.…”