Occupational Violence & Aggression: Navigating Growing Challenges with OVA in the Workplace

ByPeter McWhinnie

Occupational Violence and Aggression (OVA) incidents are increasing across all industries -healthcare, retail, emergency services, education, hospitality, predominantly in public-facing and frontline roles. These incidents range from verbal abuse and threats to physical violence, which have significant impacts on employee wellbeing, productivity, and organisational liability.

Our core belief at Resolution Education is that no employee should feel unsafe at work. Many organisations today lack structured approaches to prevent, manage, and respond to these situations effectively.

Understanding the Complexity

OVA isn’t simple or predictable. Each incident involves multiple factors:

  • Dynamic situations – Circumstances change rapidly and unpredictably
  • Individual responses– Team members respond differently based on experience, stress levels, and personal factors
  • Environmental factors – Timing, location, and environmental layout all influence how situations develop
  • Escalation patterns – What de-escalates one person may escalate another. These complexities mean that generic training doesn’t work effectively. Organisations need OVA management frameworks tailored to their specific environments and the specific situations their people encounter.

Building a Comprehensive OVA Protection Plan

Effective occupational violence management requires more than one-off training. A robust approach includes training that accounts for real -life circumstances.

Scenario-based training is significantly more effective than theoretical instruction. When training reflects the actual situations your team faces -whether that’s managing difficult customers, handling escalated clients, or responding to threats -employees develop genuine confidence and competence.

Training methods should match your organisation’s capacity:

  • Face-to-face workshops for hands-on skill development
  • Virtual reinforcement sessions to maintain learning and adapt to changes
  • E-learning modules for ongoing reference and accessibility to supplement training

Embedding Training in Your Culture

The most effective and value-add approach is our Train the Trainer program. When your own accredited team members deliver training, as well as regular briefings (even 20 minutes during toolbox meetings), OVA management becomes part of your organisational culture rather than a one-off compliance exercise.

Other ways we can help embed OVA prevention in your workplace

Resolution Education can assist with development of policies, procedures and risk assessments to implement OVA prevention strategies in your organisation.

Policies alone don’t change behaviour, but clear, communicated expectations do. Policies help your team understand:

  • What constitutes unacceptable behaviour
  • How to document and report incidents
  • What support is available post-incident
  • How the organisation responds to breaches

Understanding the patterns in your workplace is essential. A structured risk assessment identifies:

  • When incidents are most likely to occur
  • Where high-risk situations cluster (specific locations, times, client types)
  • Which tasks or interactions carry higher risk
  • Root causes and contributing factors

With this insight, you can implement targeted controls before incidents happen.

Supporting employees after an OVA incident is critical for their wellbeing and your organisation’s resilience. This includes:

  • Immediate incident investigation and reporting
  • Staff debriefing and support
  • Analysis to prevent future similar incidents
  • Implementation of safeguards and system improvements

Why Customisation Matters

Every organisation is different. A training program for aged care differs from one for retail, customer service, or emergency services. The de-escalation techniques that work in healthcare may need adjustment for law enforcement or education settings.

Generic programs miss the mark because they don’t account for your specific:

  • Industry and client base
  • Current incident patterns
  • Organisational policies and culture
  • Team composition and experience levels
  • Legal and safety obligations

Moving Forward

If your organisation has experienced OVA incidents, is looking to improve your current approach, or wants to build a proactive prevention culture, it’s worth exploring a structured framework tailored to your needs.

A qualified approach involves:

1.      Understanding your organisation’s specific challenges and incident data

2.      Reviewing your current policies, procedures, and training effectiveness

3.      Designing a customised protection plan

4.      Delivering practical, relevant training and support

5.      Evaluating outcomes and refining approaches over time

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