Aon | Professional Services Practice
How Professional Service Firms Can Improve Physical Security and Prepare for Workplace Violence
Release Date: May 2024Today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape extends beyond digital risks. Physical security is essential to managing overall risk and ensuring safety and protection for your most vital resources – people, property, and assets. Workplace violence poses significant risks if firms fail to adequately prepare. Regulatory enhancements like California’s Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (SB553) also highlight the associated compliance risks.
Key Takeaways
- Workplace violence events are devastating and can result in reputational damage, legal liabilities, and negative psychological impacts for employees.
- Physical security procedures are imperative for ensuring the safety and protection of the vital resources of professional service firms: people, property, and assets.
- The insurance market has responded to the evolving nature of this risk by providing products that support a firm in responding to a crisis and remaining in compliance with government regulations.
Physical security measures are designed to protect your firm’s vital resources from unauthorized access, threats, or danger through:
- Access control
- Physical security risk assessments
- Emergency response plans
- Employee training and awareness programs
According to the 2022 FBI active shooter incidents report, the United States experienced 50 incidents in 25 states, resulting in 313 casualties. In 24 (48%) of those incidents, the shooter had a connection to the location, including being either a current or former employee. Workplace violence incidents can be devastating, resulting in reputational damage, legal liabilities, and long-term psychological impacts to employees.
Being prepared is the first step to protecting your organization, and Aon can help with proactive steps to minimize risk by:
- Implementing and exercising workplace violence response plans
- Conducting Physical Security Risk Assessments
- Providing training and awareness programs for employees
- Promoting a culture of being vigilant and knowing how to report and who to report to
Should workplace violence occur, what insurance solutions are available to help firms?
Emotions run high in the aftermath of an active shooter incident. The firm faces intense pressure to have a response that is immediate, well-organized, and compassionate.
Although standard Property & Casualty policies do not have explicit active shooter events exclusions, they are also generally not designed to support an immediate crisis response. However, insurers have responded to the evolving nature of the risk and developed specific products to address crisis response needs.
These products include immediate access to qualified threat management consultants to help a firm manage the response to an event. The products can include expense reimbursement for critical costs to support injured / traumatized employees and other expenses a firm may need to incur, such as:
- Additional security after the event
- Counseling and trauma services for parties impacted by the event
- Reputational support through public relations
Aon recommends considering a dedicated insurance solution for these events in your risk portfolio. Having a trusted partner, such as the workplace violence threat management consultants and active assailant products, could prove an invaluable resource for a firm.
To prepare for a workplace violence event, firms should consider:
- Taking proactive steps to minimize risk.
- Purchasing insurance solutions to address both an immediate crisis response and post-event concerns.
Contact
The Professional Services Practice at Aon values your feedback. To discuss any of the topics raised in this article, please contact Mark Warner, Jr., Peter Danielewicz, Kelly Schnakenberg or Karina Gerstein.
Mark Warner
Cyber Director - Advisory, Time Consulting Advisory
Virtual
Peter Danielewicz
Account Executive
Chicago
Kelly Schnakenberg
Senior Vice President and Executive Director
Virtual
Karina Gerstein
Managing Director
Chicago
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