Why we pledge to keep everyone safe at work

Earlier this month, Brandon signed Unison's End Violence at Work Charter, part of a campaign to end violence at work in the community sector. Unison believes that violence must not be 'part of the job.' The Charter asks organisations to follow a set of 10 standards and we’re proud to announce that we've met all of them.

By signing the Charter, we've demonstrated that effective policies and risk assessments are in place so that staff know what to do if an incident occurs. These measures empower staff to safely deal with incidents, from reporting them, to knowing who to turn to for advice and support.

One of the ways we're helping to keep staff safe is by training them in Positive Behaviour Management and Support. It covers three key areas: how to deal with an incident, how to break away, and creating a safe environment.

Natasha, our PBS practitioner explained: "Our teams know that when behaviour is concerning it is a response to something, it’s communication. For us, it’s about understanding why they feel this way and trying to meet their needs to prevent it happening."

Our teams have developed proactive strategies for preventing concerning behaviour. These strategies equip staff with the skills to prevent situations from arising as well as being able to handle any situation confidently.

Natasha explained: "After an incident, there’ll be a debrief. Following that, systems will be reviewed so we can learn from it. The attitude should always be, what can we change?"

Organisations that sign the Charter also agree to take care of an employee’s mental health. At Brandon, we provide a team of mental health first aiders, who have all been trained to deal with common problems as well as more urgent situations. Our staff can also access counselling services to help them recover after a violent incident.

Sue Porto, Brandon's Chief Executive, told us: "We've signed this Charter to help employees feel safe at work. We want to empower our teams to understand why incidents happen and what they can do if a situation arises. We hope the steps we've taken go a long way in preventing our staff from experiencing violence."

Interested in joining us?

Find out more about working at Brandon in our jobs section.