culture
The Toxic Workplace and
Employee Mental Health
TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN
Mary Smith (not her real name) goes to work every day
with one thought on her mind: how to avoid her boss,
Brenda.
Brenda became the manager of Mary’s department
over a year ago. An insecure, arrogant yet charming leader
with a fragile ego, Brenda scapegoats her team members for errors
she herself makes; ignores or shuns employees who question
or challenge her ideas; diminishes or ignores the achievements
of others; and assigns impossible workloads and deadlines to direct
reports she feels professionally threatened by.
The stress leave and turnover rates in Brenda’s department are
steadily creeping higher and Mary is thinking of resigning, but
she loves her job, her company and her coworkers, and is upset
she has to consider giving up a job she excels at just because
Brenda is creating a negative work environment.
Mary isn’t alone. Nearly half of Canadians report having experienced
one or more acts of workplace harassment at least once a
week for the last six months, according to Dr. Jacqueline Poser of
the University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business.
This number is particularly concerning because of its direct
link to mental health problems at work. The Canadian Mental
Health Association reveals that 50 per cent of workplace harassment
victims suffer mental health-related problems.
Dr. Stephanie Bot, C. Psych., psychoanalyst, is the chief psychologist
at Dr. Bot and Associates and president of BizLife
Solutions in Toronto.
“A psychologically unsafe workplace marked by disrespectful
behaviour and communication, including bullying and harassment,
has a direct impact on creating mental health issues in
the workplace,” she said. “Employees who work in these toxic
environments can experience anxiety, depression, fear, addictions
and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), among other
symptoms.”
By Donna Marshall, M.A., C. Psych.
Stokkete / Shutterstock.com
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ SEPTEMBER 2015 ❚ 27
