Employee unwellness and the rise of workplace shootings

Workplace violence has been a problem in California and across the nation for decades, and it appears to be getting worse. Some governmental estimates have identified up to 36 mass killings in California workplaces in the last decade, including five since the start of 2021. According to a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) study, more than two million people a year report being victimized by workplace violence, and the unreported number is probably six million more.

When you read the reports on Samuel Cassidy’s behavior, you might ask yourself why nobody spotted and stopped him before he recently killed eight coworkers at San Jose’s Valley Transit Authority (VTA) maintenance yard:

• Cassidy’s ex-wife reported that more than 10 years ago he displayed out-of-control anger and spoke about harming his coworkers;
• In 2016, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials detained him on his way back from a trip to the Philippines because of writings indicating he hated his coworkers and had an interest in violent terrorism; and
• Coworkers described him as a disgruntled employee, and acquaintances said he was uncomfortable to be around.

Workplace violence experts note potentially violent employees often display anger, weak impulse control, and hatred or resentment toward coworkers. But, far and away, most people who display the signs will never act on them, and it’s likewise true that some perpetrators show none of the signs at all.