Industrial Psychology Crisis Intervention Techniques

Industrial psychology or organizational psychology involves the scientific study of workplaces. All types of management and personnel issues are addressed by industrial psychology. Crisis intervention (also known as nonviolent crisis prevention or deescalation) involves the management of violent or disruptive behaviors. Crisis intervention in the workplace is vital when dealing with violent or abusive workers or clients. Also, crisis intervention is necessary when a violent situation has occurred in a place of business. There are many nonviolent techniques that can be utilized to deescalate a potentially violent situation.

Calm Approach

• When dealing with an abusive or violent individual, maintain a soft, calm voice. Encourage the individual to speak calmly as well. A calm demeanor can go a long way toward diffusing a potentially violent situation.

Attention and Active Listening

• Give the individual your undivided attention. Listen to what he says, and respond by restating what he has said in your own words. This assures him that you are hearing and understanding what his issues are. Giving the individual your attention by listening carefully makes him feel validated without you actually having to agree with what he is doing.

Avoid Crowding

• Remove an angry individual from a crowded situation. This can often diffuse a situation entirely, as the primary concern may be not wanting people near her or staring at her. Also, an individual is more likely to talk openly about her concerns when in a more intimate environment.

Maintain Distance

• While it is important to remove a violent person from a crowded situation, one should still refrain from standing or sitting too close to him. Excessive closeness could be perceived as threatening.

Don't Be Judgmental

• No matter what the individual says, be nonjudgmental. This includes monitoring your nonverbal communication and tone of voice. Listen to what she says and focus on her feelings. Only reflect back what you think she is feeling, not what you think about those feelings.

Discuss Choices

• Discuss options for ending the situation positively. Emphasize solutions that are nonviolent, but that recognize the feelings of the individuals involved.

Debriefing

• In a hostile situation, it is crucial to keep coworkers and clients informed of the situation at hand. After a situation is diffused, it is equally important to get reactions from victims or survivors.

Safety of Survivors

• All of the preceding strategies are useful with victims and survivors in a violent situation. However, most important to the victims is to ensure their feelings of safety. Statements like, "You are safe, now," while simple, are helpful in establishing a feeling of security.