When people think of workplace violence, situations involving active shooters, mass casualty events and headlines that dominate news cycles for weeks sadly come to mind. But the truth is these serious incidents only represent a fraction of the workplace violence landscape.

In fact, 78% of workplace violence incidents don’t involve any weapons.1

This statistic should resonate with every hospitality organization. Workplace violence touches restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues and countless other settings daily — no corner of the industry is immune. Effective prevention starts with understanding the full scope of the problem.

The daily reality of workplace violence in hotels and restaurants

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)2 defines workplace violence broadly — not just acts of physical violence but also threats, harassment, intimidation and other disruptive behavior at the worksite. This definition matters because violence rarely begins with a weapon. It often starts much earlier.

In hospitality settings, non-physical workplace violence typically takes the form of threats, verbal abuse, bullying, humiliation and degrading language or behavior directed at employees.

Industries with the highest workplace violence risk share one common trait: significant public interaction. Hospitality sits squarely in that category. Employees work the front lines, engaging with guests during moments that can turn tense fast — a disappointed diner, an intoxicated patron, a customer who feels wronged or someone simply taking a bad day out on the nearest staff member.

Customer-initiated workplace violence creates real challenges: Alarm, harassment and distress that can escalate into physical confrontations putting employees and other guests at risk. A hostile work environment erodes wellbeing, morale, retention and performance. Accepting abuse as a condition of employment is not acceptable — full stop.

Recognizing and responding to early warning signs gives organizations the opportunity to intervene before situations reach a crisis point. That's the foundation of any effective prevention program.

Moving forward

Building a workplace violence prevention program isn’t about creating a culture of fear. It’s about taking seriously what employees experience every day — and treating those experiences as the organizational risk they truly are.

The good news: You don’t have to start from scratch. The same systematic approach you apply to other workplace hazards works here too.

How to build a prevention framework

These steps can move hospitality operators from awareness to action:

  1. Secure leadership buy-in. When leadership treats prevention as a genuine priority — not a side project — the entire program gains credibility and momentum.
  2. Assess your specific risks. Every hospitality business has a different risk profile. Do employees work alone in isolated areas? Does your establishment serve alcohol? Do you handle cash transactions? Do you host large events? Each factor increases exposure and should directly shape the controls you put in place.
  3. Develop clear policies and reporting channels. A written prevention policy should cover threat assessment protocols, security measures and emergency procedures. Give employees a simple, reliable way to report concerns — a dedicated phone line, email address or clear reporting chain. If the process is complicated, people won't use it.
  4. Train employees and empower them to act. Every employee should know how to recognize escalation warning signs and exactly how to report concerns.
  5. Build a threat assessment capability. Designate one or two people to evaluate and respond to reports consistently. Structured assessment tools guide evaluators through standard questions, removing the subjectivity that leads to uneven responses — even in smaller operations, this is achievable.

Take action now

Ready to build a stronger workplace violence prevention strategy for your hospitality organization? HUB International’s risk management experts can help you assess vulnerabilities, implement effective policies and create a safer environment for your team. Contact a HUB expert today to learn how we can help protect your most valuable asset — your people.

1 Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Federal Agencies Release Joint Study on Workplace Violence,” July 21, 2022.
2 OSHA, “Workplace Violence,” October 2024.