Fear Factor: A 2025 Employee Survey Report on Workplace Violence and Safety
Verbal threats, physical assaults, even weapons-related threats are creating an urgent and intensifying crisis that organizations can no longer ignore.
That’s the finding in our second annual Fear Factor report on workplace violence.
Thirty percent of respondents say they’ve witnessed violence in the past five years, up from 25% in 2024. Even more concerning, 15% say they’ve been directly targeted — a sharp increase from just 12% the year prior. The issue is particularly acute in frontline industries such as hospitality, where nearly half of workers report witnessing violence.
The report also examines generational disparities in de-escalation confidence and reporting safety concerns. Gen Z workers, who are in the most customer-facing roles — are both the least likely to receive training and are the least confident in their ability to manage tense situations.
Download the full report to learn which safety concerns matter most to employees, where training and prevention strategies are falling short, and how leaders can build safer, more resilient workplaces. Plus, find out why 93% of employees now support mandatory state legislation on workplace violence prevention — and what that means for your compliance strategy.
