The term violence is often associated with physical violence and serious incidents such as punching, smacking and the use of weapons to cause fear and intimidation. However, violence in organisations can include harassment, bullying and stress. Here we might include sexual, racial, and age based harassment (for example, unwanted, persistent physical or verbal abuse that undermines people and groups) and bullying (repeated negative acts that isolated a person or group) that lead to isolation, sneers, gossip and physical violence. The ways in which organisations and governments promote work structures and cultures can also lead to violence in so far as people feel undermined and poorly treated (for example, negotiations on promotion or redundancy that have a dis-proportionate impact on one group). The term violations can be used to define acts of oppression and discrimination.
The network concentrates on neglected aspects of violence and violations in organisations, especially work organisations, from an everyday life perspective. This draws upon, though is distinct from, much of the established research on violence and violations that is either on macro and institutional level violence, as in war, militarism and civil unrest, or micro and interpersonal level violence, as in ‘domestic violence’. Work organisations, and indeed management and leadership, are important as sites and contexts for everyday violence and violations. Such organisations, and their management and leadership, can also be central in countering violence and violations. For example, the introduction of the Work and Families Bill and the Employment Relations Act 2004 offer a legislative context to policies and practices.