The initiative is aimed at encouraging people to speak up and stand together to stop bullying.
The CEO of the Mental Health Foundation is calling on employers to celebrate Pink Shirt Day – an initiative which is aimed at encouraging Kiwis to speak up and stand together to stop bullying.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe, valued and respected, but bullying is a significant problem in our country,” said CEO Shaun Robinson, who’s worked in social and health services for over 30 years.
“It can have serious and ongoing impacts on our mental health and wellbeing,” he added.
While anti-bullying campaigns are becoming increasingly common in schools, Robinson says it’s not just students who are the victims of intimidation or harassment on a daily basis.
“In the workplace, bullying harms workers’ health, wellbeing and ability to do their job,” he said.
In fact, a recent academic study of over 1,700 professionals found that New Zealand had the second-worst rate of workplace bullying in the developed world with one in five workers affected.
Melbourne-based people management specialist Karen Gately told HRD that some employers could actually be breeding workplace bullies without realising.
“The most common example I see is when people are promoted into more senior positions or rewarded for high performance while at the same time behaving in a way that undermines the success, health and wellbeing of other people around them,” said Gately.
“Culturally, what employers are saying to their organisation when they do this is, not only is it okay to be a bully but there are some attributes of a bully that are rewarded, that are highly regarded and valued – such as being aggressive or pushy or demanding.”
Gately says a lack of proper training can also exacerbate a bullying situation as many leaders and individuals feel uncomfortable or unsure about how to handle it.
“Often bullying isn’t addressed because either the leaders don’t see it or they don’t have the courage or communication skills to address it effectively,” she told HRD. “HR needs to be coaching leaders and coaching individuals to be more effective in the way they communicate and deal with bullies.”
Already, more than 1,000 schools, workplaces and community groups have registered for Pink Shirt Day which is set to take place on Friday 26 May. Well-known New Zealanders are also jumping on board, including Sir Peter Leitch, the Silver Ferns, Toni Street, Valerie Adams, and Jeremy Corbett.
“We must work together to say no to bullying and to support each other on Pink Shirt Day and every day,” added Robison.
