Bullying and depression at work: Prevention starts at the very top

In a Feature on depression in the workplace, journalist Matthew Shaw sought ways to make his newsroom more open and mentally healthy. He was advised, “to remove the stigma of talking about depression, those at the very top of any organisation must speak out and create an environment where staff feel free to seek help”.
However, bullies at all levels of the political and executive hierarchy tend to recruit like-minded people to management posts. To break this pernicious cycle, employers should have systems in place to identify and exclude management applicants who perpetrate or condone bullying, and instead recruit those with established track records of ethical leadership. Recruiting ethical managers is an important public health measure that can contribute to the mental health and productivity of employees in workplaces, as envisioned by Shaw.