Nearly half of voluntary sector staff have experienced violence, survey says

16 Oct 2017 News

Almost half of staff working for charities and housing associations have experienced violence or aggression, a survey from Unison has shown.

The survey from the public services union was part of its community health and safety survey which came out in June 2017, and was based on interviews with 249 staff who work for charities and housing associations.

Unison last week launched a charter that commits voluntary sector organisations to comply with their duty of care to staff when it comes to violence in the workplace.

The survey found that 47 per cent of staff interviewed have experienced violence or aggression, either from people who use their services or from colleagues.

It found that the abuse was widespread, ranging from staff saying they had received verbal threats to “being slapped and bit”, “hit and kicked”, “punched in the mouth”, and having their “car vandalised” at work.

The survey also revealed that 26 per cent of staff felt unsupported when working alone, with many feeling in danger due to a lack of training and managerial support.

It also showed that 47 per cent of those surveyed were regularly required to work beyond the end of their shifts because of understaffing, while 79 per cent admitted they were stressed because of their work.

Six organisations have signed the charter

Mencap and the Royal National Institute of Blind People are two of six community organisations that have so far signed up. The others are Places For People Group, Coverage Care, Incommunities, Apex Housing, and WM Housing Group.

Gavin Edwards, head of communities at Unison, said: “Charities and housing associations need to take more care of their staff.

“The bleak survey results show that too often charity and voluntary sector employees are faced with verbal and physical intimidation. This is made worse by a lack of support from their managers.

“Six employers have so far signed up to our new charter and we hope more will do so in the coming weeks. This way they can help end this pervasive, dangerous culture and prove their commitment to their employees’ well-being.”

The Unison Violence at Work Charter aims to ensure that employers sign up to protect their staff from attacks. This includes training staff how to deal with threatening situations, completing thorough risk assessments and making senior management responsible for the welfare of staff.

To qualify employers must meet standards including collecting and monitoring data on violent incidents, have a written policy, and conduct thorough risk assessments. 

 

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