Workplace aggression isn’t rare, and it’s rising. Whether it’s a nurse in Australia, a caseworker in London, or a parking officer in the U.S., workers are facing a surge in occupational violence and aggression (OVA), or as it’s more broadly known internationally, work-related violence.
But here’s the issue: most of our responses are stuck at the front line. More training. More duress alarms. More policies telling staff how to stay safe. The underlying system? Rarely touched.
In our comprehensive review of over 120 global studies, we applied a systems-thinking lens to uncover where risk truly lives. And the message is clear: violence and aggression at work don’t happen in a vacuum, they emerge from how our systems are built, managed, and led.
🧠 Systems, Not Symptoms: Reframing OVA Risk
Using Rasmussen’s Risk Management Framework, we mapped risk factors across the full work system, from frontline staff to boardrooms to regulators. While nearly half of the identified risk factors were at the frontline level, the rest pointed squarely to failures in leadership, governance, operations, and regulatory systems.
In other words:
“We design work systems where violence is more likely to happen, and then we act surprised when it does.”
🔍 Three Drivers That Keep OVA Alive
- Low Organisational Commitment
Inadequate reporting systems, absence of follow-through, and passive leadership set the tone. When workers feel OVA is “part of the job,” it’s a sign of systemic neglect. - Hazardous Work Design
Irregular shifts, chronic understaffing, emotionally intense roles, increasing job demands, and isolated work environments all heighten the chance of violence and aggression, especially when left unaddressed. - Sector Blind Spots
Healthcare dominates OVA research and policy. But sectors like education, disability support, and local government also face frequent and severe risks, but with far less research or support.
⚠️ The True Cost of Work-Related Violence
- In Australia, serious assault compensation claims have more than doubled since 2000
- In Victoria alone, two-thirds of nurses reported experiencing violence within one year
- Many incidents go unreported due to fear, fatigue, or perceived futility
Beyond the statistics lies the human toll—burnout, trauma, moral injury—and the broader impact on workforce sustainability and public trust.
🔁 From Reaction to Redesign: What Leaders Can Do
It’s time to move from reactive measures to structural prevention. Here’s how organizations can start:
- Embed accountability at every level
From policy to practice, leadership must make OVA prevention a strategic, visible priority—not just a compliance item. - Redesign work systems, not just roles
Shift scheduling, workload, training, communication flows, and reporting processes to proactively minimise risk. - Invest in organisational learning
Every incident is a signal. Use it to map contributing factors across the system—not just blame the individual.
We’ve developed a systems-thinking classification framework that helps OHS professionals and leaders diagnose these root causes and design smarter interventions.
💬 Let’s Rethink What “Safe Work” Really Means
As one of the authors of this review, I know firsthand how deep and complex this challenge is. But I also know systemic change is possible, when leaders are willing to look beyond surface fixes and into the architecture of their organisations.
Let’s stop treating occupational violence and aggression as an isolated behavioural issue. Because it’s not.
It’s systemic. And that means it’s preventable.
This article is based on our research published in Safety Science. Read the full study here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2022.105859