Start Your Safety Planning Process Before An Employee Seeks Your Help

Day 8 of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

Welcome to Day 8 of my 16 tips in 16 days series for employers building workplace programs that respond effectively to intimate partner violence.

So far, we’ve talked about intake, trust-building, IPV dynamics, and risk assessment. You can go back to Day 1 here.

Today’s message is simple:

Safety planning cannot start at the moment of disclosure.

A Common — and Dangerous — Workplace Scenario

Here’s a story I hear often:

A workplace has a decent domestic violence policy.

It looks great on paper.

One day, an employee discloses abuse.

Suddenly everyone realizes no one knows what actually happens next.

So the report recipient starts emailing leaders:

“What do we do?”

“Who handles this?”

“Do we involve security?”

“Can we move their workstation?”

“Do we notify reception?”

The result?

• The disclosure spreads further than necessary

• The employee waits without support

• Trust erodes

• Time is lost — which can increase risk

Meanwhile, the employee is still going home to danger.

A workplace can avoid this by planning before a survivor ever walks into HR.

Safety Planning Starts With the Team

On Day 1, I talked about forming an interdisciplinary IPV team.

This is where that matters.

Every person who may play a role in a safety plan should:

• Know what their responsibilities are

• Understand their scope and limits

• Be trained in trauma- and violence-informed approaches

• Be prepared to act quickly when needed

This isn’t about predicting every possible scenario.

It’s about being ready enough that when someone finds the courage to disclose, the response feels:

• Coordinated

• Respectful

• Competent

• Timely

That response builds trust — and trust is what allows survivors to accept support, accommodations, and safety interventions.

Examples of Department-Level Preparedness

Here’s what proactive planning can look like in practice:

🔹 If employees work alone or in isolated settings:

HR and leadership should already have a plan for temporarily changing duties or locations to reduce isolation if someone discloses abuse.

🔹 IT systems:

IT should know in advance:

• How to quickly change phone or email addresses

• How to lock down external access

• How to block harassing communication

• How to assess for digital abuse or spyware

Timing matters — especially with digital control tactics.

🔹 Reception / Security:

These teams often need survivor-provided information (names, photos, threats), but there are legal and safety boundaries.

For example, putting a photo on a visible wall may seem helpful but can:

• Escalate the abuser’s behaviour on-site

• Lead to retaliation at home

• Violate privacy requirements

In Ontario, section 32.0.5(4) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act limits disclosure to what is reasonably necessary to protect workers from harm.

Planning ahead ensures compliance and safety.

Proactive Safety Planning = Faster, Safer Response

When the system is prepared before it’s needed:

• Fewer people need to be involved

• Support is provided quickly

• The survivor receives options — not chaos

• Accommodations and safety actions can begin immediately

This is the difference between a policy…

…and an actual functioning workplace safety program.

Tomorrow: Part Two — External Safety Planning Partners

Tomorrow’s post continues this topic by covering when and how to involve external specialists in the safety planning process.

Need Support Building This Infrastructure?

I help employers develop interdisciplinary workplace IPV response programs that meet legal requirements and support employee safety with trauma- and violence-informed approaches.

If your workplace is ready to build a safer, aligned, operational system — let’s talk.