On Friday, October 17, 2025, members of the Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey (ACCNJ) gathered at the ACCNJ’s office to participate in their latest Educational Workshop Series: De-Escalation Training.

After a successful training session this past February which focused on enhancing conflict resolution skills, De-Escalation Training was transformed into a full-day event focused on preventing, identifying, and remediating potential instances of workplace violence. 

The eight-hour session offered an in-depth look into de-escalation within the workplace, complete with interactive role-play scenarios that provided a hands-on opportunity to tackle problems head-on. Additionally, workshop participants - ranging from CEOs to field personnel and everything in between - gained and shared a variety of insights from relevant real-life scenarios to further grasp the concepts.

“For any workplace to thrive, it is essential to be able to swiftly and adequately address any adverse situation that may potentially arise,” said Jack Kocsis, CEO, ACCNJ. “De-Escalation allows us to be better equipped as coworkers and peers, both in times of conflict and when we need to have hard conversations.”

Additional topics covered in the workshop included:

• Political and racial tensions in the workplace
• Escalation of violence or anger in high-stress environments
• Common nonverbal cues that indicate potential escalation and how to respond to them 
• Dealing with highly divisive topics – such as politics or religion – in the workplace
• Mediation and investigation of workplace issues

ACCNJ’s Educational Workshop Series began in 2024. Other past workshops include: Listening, Employee Accountability, Email Etiquette, Change Navigation Skills, and Blueprint Reading. ACCNJ looks forward to member feedback to best tailor additional learning opportunities.