From Words to Weapons – Taking Individual Threats Seriously

Date: September 21, 2016

Slide Deck: Download

Organizations are increasingly being called upon to assess and respond to threats of workplace violence, homicidal ideations, stalking, and other situations where targeted violence is a possibility. How we respond can have a profound impact on the outcome. Unfortunately, ill conceived interventions can sometimes escalate a situation and actually reinforce the very behaviour we are attempting to stop. It is therefore imperative that Occupational Health and Human Resource professionals respond deliberately and with a desired outcome in mind.

Webinar participants can expect to learn more about how to determine if behaviours-of- concern pose a threat and how to respond.

[learn_more caption=”About the presenter:”]

Glenn French, MSW, RSW (C) OACCPP

Mr. French is the President and CEO of the Canadian Initiative on Workplace Violence, based in Toronto, Canada. Within the mental health field, Mr. French has held many senior administrative and clinical positions within both the private and public sectors. Many of Canada’s leading organizations interested in the safety and wellbeing of their employees have retained him.

Established in 1999, the Canadian Initiative is a consultancy that studies trends in workplace conduct within Canada. In addition, they research and catalogue the practices, which organizations and unions are employing to reduce the risk of workplace aggression. The Canadian Initiative is committed to the sharing of this information with others who are interested in arriving at a better understanding of violence from a Canadian perspective and what we can do to prevent it. In addition, the Canadian Initiative works with employers to set policies and procedures, conduct organizational risk assessments, as well as, provide a wide range of educational programs for both employees and management.

The Canadian Initiative has been showcased on the CBC (The National), CITY TV, CTV, Global Television, within The National Post, Globe & Mail, Toronto Star and multiple print dailies across Canada, as well as wide coverage on radio and trade publications, including Public Safety Canada’s Prevention Magazine.

In 2001, the Canadian Initiative partnered with the Federal Government in planning for the first North American conference on workplace violence as part of the North American Agreement on Labour Cooperation, including both United States and Mexico.  Mr. French was invited to address the 9th Global Conference on Occupational Health and Safety sponsored in part by the World Health Organization held in Merida, Mexico where he tabled his most recent paper entitled “Towards a Global Standard for Workplace Conduct”. He has also been an invited speaker for such organizations as the American Federation of Labour, Osgood Law School and the Canadian Human Rights Commission to name but a few.