Attitudes and Role Modelling at Work

In light of the shameful statistics of work-related stress, depression and anxiety in British workplaces, ranking among the worst in Europe for long hours, tight deadlines and limited autonomy (and no more productive for it), it’s clear there’s something intrinsically wrong with the way we treat people at work. The 2025/6 Health and Safety Executive statistics will be out soon and will prove interesting reading, if last year’s stats are anything to go by.

Our poor working conditions are no longer just a hangover from the industrial revolution or the class system, but result from rampant capitalistic greed, focussed on shareholder returns and devoid of any ethical obligation or sense of fair play toward employees. Add generations of inequality and a government that has allowed exploitation to flourish, and here we are - burning out from workload, poor management, insecure tenure and a working culture that just doesn’t care. We know the world of work is changing and that tech has changed the playing field, but human values must be put at the heart of things or we are all lost.

Faceless Employers

Current working conditions have bred a particularly officious employee attitude too. You may have noticed how those with an epaulet, a badge or in minor positions of authority behave like automatons on behalf of their faceless employers. Blank-faced minions who repel any service requirement or feedback as their training is designed to stamp out individual thought, initiative, collaboration or feedback.

Working in an organisation where management does not take well to input and takes offence at being told their working practices are not acceptable, stifles the whole economy and destroys creativity and innovation. We’ve all seen how this stance can damage people’s lives, but because these businesses are commercially successful and big employers, they get away with it. Often in the news due to shoddy practices, we still use their services, buy their products, and turn a blind eye, hoping that our government or market forces or someone, somewhere will pull them up short.

The Blame Culture

There are leaders who think their authority gives them the right to demand without any of the attendant responsibilities to protect. They hide behind their positional power, not understanding that enlightened leadership is a constant negotiation, practiced by those who are emotionally mature enough to engage in two-way communication with insight and confidence.

This could explain why many managers just don’t trust the people they work with. They haven’t been shown how to do it without undue risk and are themselves fearful of the blame culture that permeates our workplaces and society at large. Just see how grown men are made to cry over their cupcakes on telly. There is such explicit glee in seeing the ‘losers’ humiliation and shame in all spheres of our media. We need to remember that we and our children pick up these blatant subliminal cues and will model this behaviour too.

Employment Rights and Wrongs

The trend in global workplace practices ensues that employment contracts comply with no country’s employment laws. These companies are registered on obscure offshore islands or floating pontoons in mid ocean. If you want a job you need to sign away your rights. Buying, investing in and supporting UK based businesses might at least balance the boat a bit.

The prevalence of poor mental health resulting from bad workplace practices, highlights workplace attitudes that we have come to tolerated and normalise. We are again becoming a cowed workforce where only our collective voice might have some small impact in challenging impunity and exploitation.

Insidious Modelling

Role modelling psychopathy and self-interest has become the current mode of posturing power at the highest levels and unfortunately this approach has proliferated in our workplaces, politics, entertainment and even on our playgrounds. To combat it, we must find and emulate the best people in every sphere. Good role models are usually incredibly quiet and get little or no coverage. We need to drag them out of the shadows, hold them up as examples and learn from them, whether they are the lollipop lady, the actor, the MP or the CEO who behaves honourably and protects the interests of those around them.

What we really need though, is a global, sharp toothed system that can take board members and leaders by the collar and compel them clean up their act, because until we fix attitudes at the top, we can’t protect those at the bottom – and that’s us or soon will be.

In the meantime, let us try to identify and laud the good people in our workplace and communities, and champion them like there’s no tomorrow. It may be the only way we have right now of challenging this insidious trend and changing the trajectory of workplace culture for us and those who come after us.

Written by MHScot Team Member, Sonia Last.