Systematic work environment management - focusing on domestic violence

1.1 Refine the toolbox

The work to include domestic violence in systematic work environment management does not mean that an additional task is added, but rather that this issue is already included in the existing structures and routines. The recurrent activities on risk assessment and occupational safety and health measures are often illustrated as a wheel, as depicted in the chapter on concepts. However, the wheel is missing several parts of the systematic work environment management that are important for the overall function, such as routines, distribution of tasks, and the need for knowledge.  

The flow map of the Swedish Work Environment Authority shows recurring activities in the middle, support and management processes at the top, and various activities at the bottom. The picture represents all parts of the work environment management and the issue of violence can be included in almost all parts. 

The various activities of the systematic work environment management can strengthen the work against domestic violence. One such area is to include domestic violence in the annual safety round, where it is important to prevent the risks for a person who is exposed to violence. For example, it can be an assessment of whether the victim is at risk of being approached by the perpetrator in the workplace, or of someone telling the perpetrator where the victim is. The routine around remote work is another area to consider in assessments of a safe workplace.  

1.2 Make it talkable

Domestic violence is so common that most of us are or have been victims, or know someone close to us, such as in the family or among colleagues, who are or have been exposed. Those who perpetrate domestic violence can also be a colleague, friend, or acquaintance. 

In the report Can the workplace be safe when the home is not?, one quarter of the respondents answered that they had at least one colleague who they thought might have ongoing or previous experience of domestic violence. Only one in four of those who had been subjected to violence told someone in the workplace about it. Of those who did not tell, about one in ten stated that they were afraid of being judged, or that their job or work environment would be negatively affected if they did. 

This shows that the workplace has an important role to play by being an arena where active work is done to change social norms around domestic violence and to contribute to make it talkable. 

By making domestic violence talkable, the workplace gets access to additional tools to promote the well-being of employees. Employers and colleagues have a unique opportunity to detect signs of violence, as we spend many hours every day at work.