When a client calls me about an aggressive person at their company, the first priority is not force but orderly decision-making. We protect people by slowing the escalation, keeping bystanders away from the risk and giving reception and management a clear procedure.
The first few minutes set the tone for everything that follows
When an aggressive person turns up at work, it often looks nothing like a scene from a film. It tends to be a dissatisfied visitor, a former employee, a business partner under pressure or someone who has lost control of their emotions. In practice, I've seen that the greatest damage is sometimes done not by the shouting itself but by the chaotic reaction of everyone nearby.
When I protect a company, my main concern is always that everyone knows what to do. Reception must not improvise, management must not give conflicting instructions and employees must not hang around the incident out of curiosity. A calm procedure leaves less to chance.
An aggressive person is a real risk, but not every risk calls for physical intervention. The first task is to create distance, keep the conversation within limits and stop people who shouldn't be there from being drawn into the situation.
Pay attention, too, to what led up to the situation. Sometimes the trigger is being refused entry to an office; at other times it's waiting for an answer, or the feeling that nobody is talking to them. If you know the trigger, you can choose a tone that won't make the incident worse.
I speak in a way that gives the situation nothing to latch on to
When I'm facing an agitated person, I don't use sentences designed to defeat them. I don't tell them what they mustn't do unless I also offer a safe option for what they can do. My tone of voice has to be calm, matter-of-fact and brief.
Threats and ultimatums usually close the door to any agreement. Someone who feels cornered will often raise their voice, move closer or start looking for an audience. That's why I choose simple instructions that offer a way out: wait to one side, sit down, talk to one person, move to a neutral space.
I avoid physical contact until it becomes necessary to protect life or health. Even a light push can be seen as an assault and needlessly take the situation a step further. At this stage, a safe distance matters as much as the right words.
- speak calmly and factually
- don't use threats or ultimatums
- avoid physical contact
- keep a safe distance
Everyone else should leave before they even understand why
Employees often stay close by because they want to help, or simply want to know what's going on. From a security point of view, that's a problem. Every additional person in the space raises the tension, blocks the escape route and could become the target of a random reaction.
That's why a well-organised company has a simple internal signal. It doesn't need to be dramatic. An agreed phrase, a silent message or a particular person moving is enough for reception, assistants and shift managers to know that they must lead people away from the scene.
Keeping other employees safe doesn't start when someone bangs their fist on the desk. It starts as soon as the tone of the situation changes: when the person refuses to leave, moves closer to an employee or starts looking for a confrontation.
Reception and security need an agreed language
Reception is usually the company's first filter, yet it's often the least prepared for unpleasant situations. When I train staff or set up procedures, I go through specific phrases with reception, specific buttons, specific doors and the specific person to call.
Security must not arrive as another source of tension. Their job is to take control of the space, not to feed their ego. In practice, that means positioning themselves to protect both the employees and the escape route, and watching the person's hands and surroundings, while leaving the talking to one designated person.
Help needs to be called in good time, not once someone is already fighting over a door handle. If the person refuses to leave, makes threats, damages equipment, stops people moving or behaves unpredictably, the situation should be escalated in line with the internal procedure.
- internal procedures for reception and management
- crisis communication without unnecessary emotion
- signals for calling for help
After an incident, the work doesn't end with tidying up
Once things have calmed down, I often see companies make the same mistake. Everyone wants to get back to normal quickly, as if nothing had happened. Yet it's precisely after an incident that you find out whether the system had gaps.
Write down what happened, who was present, where the person went, how reception reacted and when help was called. Not to find someone to blame, but so that the same weakness doesn't recur next time.
It's worth giving employees a short, calm update. Silence breeds speculation, whereas accurate communication reduces anxiety and shows that the company is dealing with the situation.
After an incident, I also recommend reviewing the physical layout of the space. The reception desk, the escape route, lockable doors and a way to call for help discreetly all determine whether an employee can get through the first few minutes without unnecessary risk.
Conclusion: preparedness is calm you can see
I never treat an aggressive person at work as routine, but it's no reason to panic either. The key is a procedure that reception, management and security can carry out without having to stop and think. Your team should know who speaks, who calls for help, who moves people away and where the safe area ends.
If you're not sure whether your company really has a workable procedure like this, it's worth reviewing it against your actual day-to-day operation. A no-obligation consultation often reveals simple adjustments that give employees more confidence and management better control in a crisis.
The aim isn't to turn the company into a place no one can get into. It's to make sure a decent visitor feels completely at ease, while a problem individual finds no room to dictate the rules of the situation.
“Calm during an incident isn't created at the moment of conflict. It comes from preparation that people already know beforehand.”— Robert Václavík
