A newly released study has uncovered that 1 in 12 workers in the United Kingdom experienced threats, insults, or physical attacks in their workplace within the past year. The research by Dr Vanessa Gash of City St George’s, University of London, and Dr Niels Blom of the University of Manchester challenges prevailing assumptions about workplace safety, revealing that violence and intimidation at work are not isolated incidents but part of a widespread and systemic issue. Drawing on data from the United Kingdom Household Panel Study (UKHLS)—a national longitudinal survey involving around 40,000 households—the study examines how violence at work intersects with mental health and job security. The findings are sobering: abuse is present in all sectors, including those not typically associated with physical risk, such as finance, the arts, and administrative roles.
Public-facing roles, particularly in public administration and facilities—such as police officers, civil servants, legal clerks, fire service personnel, and immigration officers—showed the highest risk for violence. Yet the study also found that no sector is immune, and this universality challenges assumptions that workplace violence is a marginal or niche issue. Furthermore, 1 in 13 employees reported feeling unsafe in their work environment, suggesting that fear is not only widespread but often predictive of actual violence. Dr Gash commented that employers frequently minimise fear of violence, yet the data show a close correlation between workers’ fears and their exposure to harm. The fear is often not speculative—it is grounded in reality.
Beyond physical danger, the psychological aftermath of workplace violence was a central focus of the study. The research found strong links between exposure to threats or aggression and the onset of mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. In several cases, symptoms endured for over a year following the incident, showing the long-term impact of workplace trauma. Many workers interviewed for the study described lasting emotional effects that influenced their work performance and their home lives. What’s more, some noted that the persistent fear of returning to a hostile environment compounded their suffering and made recovery more difficult.
A striking aspect of the findings is the inadequacy of institutional support following violent incidents. Several participants reported that when they brought concerns to management, their experiences were either dismissed or met with annoyance. In workplaces where violence is downplayed or where no formal support mechanisms exist, affected employees can feel silenced or even punished for speaking up. This dynamic and the financial necessity of remaining employed left many feeling trapped in hostile workplaces. The difficulty in proving incidents of bullying or verbal abuse—compared to physical violence—further discouraged workers from reporting or pursuing redress. The research suggests that the current reporting structures and workplace cultures do not sufficiently protect vulnerable employees.
The authors of the study argue that to address the issue effectively, UK employers must adopt trauma-informed workplace policies that recognise and accommodate the psychological toll of violence. Rather than encouraging workers to leave their jobs, the focus should be on retention and support, ensuring that employees are not forced to choose between their mental health and livelihood. Implementing such policies could also benefit the broader economy. As Dr Gash pointed out, workplace violence not only undermines individual wellbeing but also leads to the loss of skilled workers. Supporting workers through difficult experiences could strengthen workforce stability and productivity in a period marked by labour shortages and economic stagnation.
Dr Blom added that fear of violence, like violence itself, should be recognised as a serious workplace health concern. Given the strong associations between feeling unsafe and deteriorating mental health, employers and policymakers must address the full spectrum of harm—from overt attacks to pervasive intimidation. Ultimately, the study urges a shift in national understanding: workplace violence is not rare or irrelevant but a significant problem with real human and economic costs. Until the issue is acknowledged and addressed in policy and practice, workers across the UK will continue to suffer in silence—exposed to harm that society has failed to confront fully.
More information: Vanessa Gash et al, Workplace violence and fear of violence: an assessment of prevalence across industrial sectors and its mental health effects, Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health. DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.4230
Journal information: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health Provided by City St George’s, University of London