“Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song
Killing me softly with his song”
Killing Me Softly sung by Roberta Flack and by The Fugees. (Click here for both versions song)
Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash
“It is sad because I love it, I love the people, I love the work, I am grateful for the salary but all I do is work, I have nothing to offer to my family, my marriage, my house. I got a promotion and a great raise but I have spent all that money and more on psychiatry and psychology and acupuncture just trying to keep going. I’m not actively looking but if I find another job, I will leave because I do feel like I am killing myself doing this.”
Participant in Independent Review into Workplace Culture at EY Oceania.
Initially, I found the Independent Review into Workplace Culture at EY Oceania confronting. To be honest, I became disillusioned by the content, and I struggled with what to put in this blog. Despite changes to legislation and increased awareness of the benefits of creating a psychologically safe and healthy workplace, the news this week is a reminder that often “a career opportunity of a lifetime” may come at a price.
What can be done?
“The Report includes 27 recommendations to help EY Oceania make meaningful improvements to its workplace culture and positively promote the wellbeing of its people. EY Oceania accepts all the recommendations and will now work closely with its people to implement them.”
Regular readers know that recognising mistakes and taking action to change behaviours is confronting and overwhelming. Perseverance, support, and accountability are essential elements in long-term sustained behaviour change. The following scene from the movie About A Boy is a poignant reminder that when faced with something confronting and scary it is possible to put aside our fears and focus on what we need to do for others.
Click here for the scene
So take a moment and ask yourself the following question:
Do you have the courage to exhibit the vulnerability required to create and maintain a psychologically safe and healthy workplace?
References and further information
www.ey.com. (n.d.). Elizabeth Broderick & Co. independent review into workplace culture at EY. [online] Available at: https://www.ey.com/en_au/elizabeth-broderick-and-co-independent-review-into-workplace-culture-at-ey.