Pink Shirt Day

Wednesday February 23rd marks Canada’s annual Pink Shirt Day, where people across the country wear pink to raise awareness and visibility to bullying. This tradition started in 2009 by two high school students in Nova Scotia who knew the effects of bullying firsthand and wanted more people to understand what they, along with thousands of other school-aged kids, were going through. Today, over 110 countries worldwide participate in Pink Shirt Day, indicating that there is real need to continue to talk about this particular issue. Bullying in the workplace is no different than the schoolyard variety; it can still result in shame, anxiety, dread, and depression, no matter the age of those involved.

Workplace bullying can take many forms. Sometimes it is subtle, where someone can be left out of meetings, work functions, or be manipulated into doing work that they shouldn’t be doing. The individual may not even realize they’re being bullied. Other times it is more obvious, where more aggressive and overt tactics are used like name calling, humiliating, or uttering threats against an individual. Either way, of course, it is not acceptable, and can cause long term emotional damage to the individual being targeted.

The physical and psychological effects of bullying and harassment are well documented: depression, high anxiety, self-doubt, loss of sleep and appetite, headaches, and even suicidal thoughts. All of these can lead to poor work performance, missing shifts, and termination. Beyond that, there is the trauma and shame that can develop as well, staying with an individual for years. Bullying can affect someone’s life in a myriad of ways.

Prevention is best, since it can stop bullying at the source before it even happens. Workplace culture is at the core of this idea, where training and communication are encouraged, and definitions of bullying, as well as the consequences of it, are made clear to each and every employee, no matter their position within the company. Talk to your HR or union representative if you are unsure about the policies and procedures surrounding workplace bullying. If you witness someone being bullied, show support by listening to them and encouraging them to talk to someone in the organization to help. If you yourself are the target, educate yourself on your rights, talk to your bully yourself if you are comfortable and feel safe doing so, or involve an external party if you feel that it is necessary. Doing nothing will not change your situation at all, and will likely even make it worse.

If you have ever received feedback that you yourself have engaged in bullying tactics,  take a step back and try to work through your defenses that have likely come up. Try to understand where that person is coming from.  Empathy goes a long way in situations like these. Put yourself in their shoes. Feel the damage that the behaviour can cause, the months or years of therapy, the strain on professional and personal relationships, the dark thoughts. None of it is necessary. In the end, choosing kindness and understanding can make such a difference, both on an individual level as well as a professional one. It’s always a choice you can make. On February 23rd, wear pink to show your support for those who have been bullied, and your unwillingness to allow it to continue. If you’re struggling with bullying at work, or if you feel you need to make some changes in your life to choose kindness more, reach out to Walmsley EFAP. We can help.

Robert Baker, MA RCC
Walmsley EFAP