Employers

Domestic violence and abuse affects thousands of working women and men in Devon every day.

It not only impacts on their ability to provide and care for themselves and their families, but it also affects the financial strength and success of the companies they work for.

The cost to businesses across the UK in terms of lost productivity, absenteeism, legal costs, medical costs and police costs is £2.72billion. Here in Devon the estimated annual cost of domestic violence and abuse to society is £60 million.

The effects of domestic violence and abuse are associated with many direct and indirect costs including:

• decreased productivity
• absenteeism
• errors
• increased employee turnover

In many cases the abuse can spill out of the home and into the workplace.

• 56% of abused women arrive late for work at least five times a month
• 28% leave early at least five days a month
• 53% miss at least three days of work a month
• Once a person leaves an abusive partner they are especially vulnerable at work, as it may be the only place they can be located or harmed
• 75% of domestic abuse victims are targeted at work - from harassing phone calls and abusive partners arriving at the office unannounced, to physical assaults

Research shows that:

• 1 in 10 staff experience domestic abuse or violence in any one year
• 98% of domestic abuse survivors said that the abuse affected their ability to perform their work duties
• 87% of survivors said their abuser made harassing phone calls to them at work (some receiving between 50 and 100 a week).
  (Data from USA Corporate Alliance)

Domestic violence also affects other staff who may:

• Have to fill in for absent or non-productive workers
• Feel resentful of victims needing time off or receiving extra attention
• Try to “protect” victims from unwanted phone calls and visits
• Be completely unaware of how to intervene, often feeling helpless and distracted from their work
• Fear for their own safety
• Hear and/ or take part in gossip and rumours

What you can do as an employer to help safeguard your staff

• Introduce an Employer Policy on Domestic Violence and Abuse .This should give a clear and positive statement of your commitment to supporting staff around this issue
• Provide ADVA training for managers (see Training section for more details) to help them:
  a) Understand the impact of domestic violence and abuse within the workplace
  b) Know how to support their staff
• Provide leaflets and information to all staff on noticeboards etc so staff know where to access specialist support
• ADVA Employers leaflets - What you can do as an employer to help safeguard your staff (103KB - pdf help) and Domestic violence and abuse and the workplace. (96KB - pdf help)
• ADVA Downloadable Posters - Working Late? (179KB - pdf help) and What kind of a welcome home will you be getting tonight? (179KB - pdf help)

Useful information for employers:

• Employer Policies
• Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence
• Home Office
• Women’s Aid