Thread by @CourageStories

Most of us spend majority of our days working - either at an office, or in constant communication with colleagues, clients, or partners.

With that in mind, it's hard to ignore how significant an impact our workspaces have on our minds, our bodies and our lives.

But there are spaces that make that existence very difficult for many. Yes, this is a thread that stems from conversations previously had by @MarcusOlang & heavily inspired by the #KECreativesDeserveBetter conversations currently happening on @WatchdogKE as driven by @SilasMiami.

This is the first of so many stories that have been shared with me in the last 3 hours alone. Most of them, terribly chilling. We'll be sharing them as we receive and repackage them to protect their identities where requested.

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"My husband is a creative... Last year, he attempted suicide."

"It's about modern pressure for delivery."

High blood pressure. Ulcers. Migraines. Strokes.

"My daughter had not seen me for 3 days."

"My boss was on my neck shouting and all, every single day."

"I almost lost my life."

"A female creative director is apparently a unicorn... But where do you draw the line?"

"The human roll it has taken on the team cannot be quantified..."

"Tolerance is now a norm for many creatives."

"I thought I was the problem."

"This also happens in startups (small businesses). Not specific to any industry."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"I can't tell you how many times they snaked us on payments."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#KECreativesDeserveBetter

"Asthmatic attacks were on the rise, I couldn't take it any more."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"Agency culture can kill you, drain you, demotivate you, make you feel worthless, have you questioning your gifts and talents, have you crying yourself to sleep at night or not even sleeping at all because insomnia."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#KECreativesDeserveBetter

"Once these deals got to their closing points, senior management took over and sacked us, telling us we're not good for the jobs."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"I was constantly anxious especially because I wanted to prove myself to myself and to others."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"TOXICITY."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"Stop hiding dirt under open bars and pong tables."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"I haven't gone on leave for 3 years now."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"My anxiety has grown tenfold since I started working here."

"I work in a law firm. Sexual harassment is the name of the game."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"There was a babe committed to killing my strength, my creativity, and above all, undermine my integrity."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"The manager would even laugh at the places people used to go eat."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"If you continue at that job, you won't love to see much of the rest of your life."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"I'd drink a quarter daily just to sleep."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"I was a new mother and barely saw my baby because I'd be working long hours."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"At some point, my alarm would go off in the morning and I'd just start crying because I knew what was waiting for me at the office."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture

"No one should have the power to just destroy people's lives like that."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"Ironically, the guys is a safety person and he still bullied me (workplace bullying and harassment is actually a hazard in safety and health)."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"I had 2 beers with him and went home. Next thing I know, the whole office is talking about how I slept with him."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"I got hypertensive because of the anxiety that came with just going to work."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"I'd never go back."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"When you signed the papers, you sold your soul to the devil, and there's nothing you can do about it."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"That working environment broke me down mentally."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"The boss was acting like we were one big happy family."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"I needed a therapist. Because of a fucking job."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"Work was smooth until I started experiencing frequent migraines."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"It doesn't matter what level you're at. There will always be gaslighting from your seniors."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"I never thought I'd hate writing as much as I did working with them."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"The ownership is tone-deaf to the reality on the ground."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"One day, I got a warning letter because I took a few days leave to go sit my exams."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"I remember a female colleague who lost a pregnancy the same year and didn't want to take time off because of the repercussions tied to absenteeism."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"Sadly , quite a number of people have been sacked for questioning decisions."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"I'll never forget that man."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"You can never get it right with your bosses and clients."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"12 people left in a span of 6 months. The total number of staff was 25."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"My colleague was asked to postpone her wedding."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"I had never done alcohol or any drugs. During this period, I almost did."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories

"He gave me a proper hug and a squeeze on my bum like we were familiar with each other."

#KillerWorkplaceCulture
#CourageStories