From verbal abuse to robbery — a risk you can plan for and reduce
Workplace violence is any incident where a worker is abused, threatened or assaulted in connection with their work. It ranges from verbal abuse and intimidation through to robbery and physical assault, and it harms both physical and psychological health. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, you must take all reasonably practicable steps to protect workers from it — whether the threat comes from customers and the public, or from inside the organisation. The good news: it is neither acceptable nor inevitable, and a structured approach reduces it.
More than physical assault — it includes threats, abuse and intimidation.
WorkSafe describes workplace violence as any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work. That covers a wide range: physical assault and robbery at one end, and verbal abuse, threats, intimidation and low-level threatening behaviour at the other. In New Zealand, verbal abuse and threats are the most common forms, while physical attacks are comparatively rare — but all of them can cause real and lasting harm, including psychological injury.
The source shapes the controls you need.
External violence comes from outside the workplace — customers, clients, patients or the public — and is often associated with robbery or other crime. It is most common in retail, hospitality, security, cash-handling, healthcare and banking. Internal violence involves people connected to the workplace, such as co-workers, and overlaps with bullying and harassment. Threats can also come from a worker's family members or acquaintances. Mapping where your risk comes from is the first step to controlling it.
Treat violence like any other workplace risk.
WorkSafe recommends a Plan-Do-Check-Act approach. Work out whether violence is a risk to your workers (considering both how likely it is and how serious the harm could be), put controls in place, check they are working through incident and near-miss reports, and act to improve. Talk to workers throughout — they know where they feel unsafe — and keep an eye on changes in your area, such as a rise in local crime, that might call for stronger controls.
Reduce the opportunity for violence, and prepare your team.
| Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Environment & design | Good lighting and sightlines, secure layouts, barriers or screens, controlled access, and minimising cash held on site. |
| Policies & expectations | A clear zero-tolerance policy, signage setting out unacceptable behaviour, and client risk-profiling where appropriate. |
| People & training | De-escalation training, procedures for conduct during a robbery, buddy systems, and protections for lone or late-night workers. |
| Technology & security | CCTV, duress alarms, communication devices, and maintained, tested security equipment. |
| Reporting & review | Easy reporting of incidents and near misses, investigation, and regular review of whether controls are working. |
The Protective Security Requirements (PSR) framework can be adapted as security best practice by any business. Source: WorkSafe NZ.
Safety first, then support, then learn.
In an emergency, the immediate priority is safety — call 111 for police where there is a threat to life. Serious incidents such as physical assault, robbery or sexual assault should be referred to police. Afterwards, support affected workers: this is where psychological harm often shows up, so make use of an employee assistance programme if you have one, and point people to services such as Victim Support and the free mental health line, 1737. Finally, investigate the incident for its health and safety lessons and feed them back into your controls.
General information, not legal advice. This guide does not cover criminal-law or emergency-response obligations in detail. In an emergency call 111, and confirm current requirements with WorkSafe NZ and NZ Police.
Violence and aggression are psychosocial hazards too.
The harm from violence is not only physical. Exposure to abuse, threats and aggression — even without physical contact — is a recognised psychosocial hazard that can cause stress, anxiety and trauma. Managing workplace violence therefore connects closely with managing psychosocial risk and with supporting wellbeing, and the two are best handled together rather than in isolation.
Get a system that keeps your violence-prevention policy, controls and incident reporting in one place. Book a demo and we'll show you how it works — free 30-day trial included.
It is any incident where a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work. That ranges from verbal abuse, threats and intimidation through to robbery and physical assault, and it can cause both physical and psychological harm.
Verbal abuse, threats and intimidation are all included — in New Zealand they are the most common forms of workplace violence. They can cause real psychological harm, so they need to be managed, not dismissed.
Yes. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, you must take all reasonably practicable steps to keep workers safe from harm, and that includes the risk of violence — whether from customers, the public or people inside the workplace.
Design out opportunities for violence (lighting, layout, access, minimising cash), set a clear zero-tolerance policy with signage, train workers in de-escalation and robbery procedures, protect lone workers, use security technology like CCTV and duress alarms, and make incident reporting easy so you can review and improve.
Prioritise safety and call 111 if there is a threat to life; refer serious incidents like assault or robbery to police; support affected workers (an EAP, Victim Support, or the 1737 mental health line); then investigate for health and safety lessons and update your controls.
