Dear Ad Land, We Need to Chat About Bullying and Mental Well-being

Recently in the UK we have seen the Home Secretary Priti Patel caught up in a bullying scandal which, according to the UK Prime Minister has been resolved. On the other side of the pond, the White House has also had its fare share of allegations of bullying within the work case.

And whilst these are equally troubling and shouldn't be dismissed, especially for those who have to work in those environments, I want to focus on the stories recently shared on Agency Insider Instagram account.

It started off with a post that someone had shared regarding a member of the staff fighting depression and anxiety and the dismissive response the senior management had given. 36 words that felt all too familiar. 36 words to tell the story of one persons struggle and the actions that senior management would (not) take to support one of their own.

What followed was a series of similar stories that, if you follow Agency Insider, came wave after wave on their Story feed. Stories of breakdowns, late nights, endless working weekends, ineffable burnout and anxiety at the mere thought of going into the office. All summarised in just two words..."agency life".

Now, I'm not saying this happens at all agencies but the fact that it happens at all is something that needs to be addressed. We, as a business sector, have become very good at promoting the fact "we" address Mental Well-being head on. That bullying has zero place in the work place. Yet, here we are in 2020 and some of our fellow colleagues are still having to go through the unbearable. The unthinkable.

Many places have taken huge strives to change this, but it needs to come from senior management in actually practicing what we preach to make the change we need. So I challenge my fellow peers to start listening to their colleagues. Understand the challenges they are facing and not just dismiss them. Equally, if you can and are willing to do so, be a sounding board for others who feel powerless to challenge their own direct manager. Offer advice and guidance.

So I'll start here. If you going through a similar scenario and need a place outside of your own working environment, message me. I'm not saying this will resolve the situation at hand but hopefully will showcase that you are not alone. In addition to this, please follow Ad Insider on Instagram. Lastly, I also suggest visiting www.theytriedtokillmebuti.live. A comprehensive list of stories shared from far and wide. Reinforcing that whilst at time the struggle in the moment can feel daunting, take a little solace that you are not alone.