While the average age of population increases, so as the number elderly
workers employed in the private security in Korea. However, not many studies
have examined the issues related to elderly security guards so far, especially
regarding the experience of workplace violence victimization even though they
are quite vulnerable.
The current study surveyed elderly private security guards across the nation
in an attempt to ask about their workplace violence victimization experience,
including both physical and verbal ones. The researchers investigated if
victimization experiences affect the elderly security guardsʼ perception of
occupational stress.
The result indicated that the respondents experienced verbal violence more
than physical violence, and perpetrators were usually customers, not their
supervisor or coworkers. In addition, those who experienced verbal violence
in the workplace, perceived a higher level of occupational stress.
The experience of physical violence did not make a significant impact.
Policies are discussed in order to decrease workplace violence towards elderly
security guards.