Whether the economic crisis that hit Europe in 2007 is still on or not remains debatable. Some distressed countries like Spain and Ireland have returned to economic growth, but unemployment remains persistently high.

Some of those still in employment report that their place of work has become increasingly toxic as employers try to extract more out of their workforce.

Many small businesses are being forced to close down and some of their owners often resort to dramatic solutions like committing suicide because they feel that their dignity and self-sufficiency as people who could take care of themselves and their families has been lost forever. Irish President Michael Higgins commenting on the high rate of suicide among male Irish people said: “A return to significant levels of unemployment in recent years has brought with it deep wells of despair and frustration, often leading to a damaging sense of futility and disengagement from society.”

It is not only employers who had to pay the high cost of the slowdown in European economies. Many employees report increasing incidences of bullying from their bosses who in turn are given tough objectives from their executives. When targets are not reached in distressed businesses, a slow but unrelenting management ratcheting is applied on workers – often leaving them with serious mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

Psychologists and counsellors report that in the last few years more and more workers are resorting to the help of mental health experts because of increasing pressure on employees as a result of the ongoing economic slowdown. Men seem to suffer more than women in these circumstances because as pointed out by President Higgins, “far too many men are continuing to suffer in silence because of an inability to discuss their problems and this results in ‘alarming’ rates of suicide among men.

“There is a profound reluctance amongst males to discuss problems, concerns and negative experiences because they did not wish to appear vulnerable in front of their families and friends”.

There is, of course, another side of this picture. Those still in employment especially in recession-proof organisations continue to clamour for more pay and privileges from their employer – especially if this employer is the government.

Since my return to business life, I have realised how toxic the culture of entitlement is in some recession-proof organisations. Status and high pay are the Holy Grail of many fat cats who feel that their job is secure for life. They indulge in self-delusion not realising that their worth to the business or the taxpayer is a fraction of what they get paid.

Those still in employment, especially in recession-proof organisations, continue to clamour for more pay and priviledges

Changes are needed if we are to save a whole generation of people who are either unemployed or facing difficult times at the workplace because they are treated by the state and employers as second class citizens. These people are easily relegated to the human scrap heap and soon become victims of mental health problems. When this happens they are not the only ones who suffer. They drag with them their families that are often unable and unqualified to deal with such depressive behaviour.

At the same time we have a sizeable proportion of our workers who are directly employed by the state. Trade unions defend the rights of these people up to the hilt. They time their collective agreement negotiations as near to a political election as possible in order to draw the last drop that they can from taxpayers’ pockets, while unemployed people continue to yawn in silence.

We also need to address the culture of greed that persists in the executive management levels of some business organisations. This culture exists in both private and government controlled organisations. In the private sector this culture often results in underproductive companies with overpaid executives. In the public sector or wherever the government has some influence in what gets done in an organisation, one could get a group of executives who excel in internal or external political intrigue but are incapable of leading their organisations to success.

As a country we must make a special effort to get more people working in the official economy, even if our record for employment is one of the best in Europe. The government’s plan to make work pay for the young unemployed is a viable one. Trade unions should support this effort.

Equally important, the culture of ‘fat cats’ that want to gobble more resources in state-influenced organisations needs to be curbed with more determination.

johncassarwhite@yahoo.com