😱 Of corporations, fear and mental health

Most institutions in the Western world had to quickly adjust to the new reality following the #metoo and #blacklivesmatter movements. None of these institutions suffered from these new behaviors, despite the scale and pace at which they unfolded.

However, 10-12 years ago, most of us could not have imagined that we could operate under these new rules, so quickly and seamlessly.

So why would it be different for emotional abuse in the workplace (and elsewhere)? What make us believe that “we” can’t change that? We don’t have to believe that manipulation, abuse and disrespect are the prices to pay for prosperity, stability and progress as an individual and as a society.

If Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, to only name a few, were able to have a vision of a widely different world despite the tremendous challenges they were facing, why couldn’t we? In the grand scheme of things, asking for respect in the workplace can’t be more difficult to obtain than freedom.

We would be horrified today to witness behaviors that not that long ago were routines and widely accepted. I recently watched “She Said”, a wonderful movie on the Harvey Weinstein debacle and the birth of the #metoo movement. To think that for decades he acted unimpeded, while hundreds of people knew about his crimes and that The FBI even opened an investigation (but District Attorney Vance decided to shut it down. This being obviously totally independent with the fact that Weinstein donated to Vance’s reelection campaign🙄) seems absolutely out of this world. But it did happen, in our lifetimes, not 50 years ago, not 30 years ago, but only 5 years ago. If this had not been under the umbrella of an institution, Weinstein would have been indicted as a sexual predator decades before. But the entire system thought they needed him, that they could not talk, that “it was the way it was”, that they were powerless.

We need to ask ourselves who are benefitting from our obedience and silence. Not the victims (or survivors if they are on the other side), but the perpetrators. I hear the “not rocking the boat” argument and I will counter: what if it was our son, daughter, mother, father, sister, brother and so on? Would we be so silent? Would we be ok with knowing that everyone around them stayed silent?

Are we really OK thinking that some employees commit suicide, have depression, anxiety, stomach ulcer, and other niceties because we don’t want to rock the boat? Because “it is what it is” ? Because “survival of the fittest”? Because “no gain, no pain”?

As adults we teach kids to stand up to bullies, what are we really doing ourselves?

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Peggy Van de Plassche is a value creation strategist and senior advisor with over 20 years of experience in private equity, financial services, healthcare, and technology. She works with investment firms, boards, and C-suite leaders to accelerate portfolio company performance, drive operational transformation, and unlock long-term value. Peggy specializes in the execution of complex value creation plans—spanning capital allocation, digital enablement, transaction advisory, and leadership alignment. Her work consistently bridges strategy and implementation, helping investors and operators maximize EBITDA and enterprise value. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, she also brings deep expertise in public-private partnerships and institutional capital deployment—critical levers for competitive advantage in today’s global landscape. Her clients have included BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. Learn more at peggyvandeplassche.com.

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