WHAT IS LATERAL VIOLENCE?

Workplace wellness and psychological safety are essential to building strong organizations and healthy communities. Yet across many sectors, including Indigenous organizations, healthcare, education, and social services, harmful workplace behaviours continue to affect teams in significant ways.

In Indigenous communities, lateral violence is often understood within the broader context of colonization, intergenerational trauma, racism, and systemic oppression. The term lateral refers to harmful behaviours that occur between peers, coworkers, or community members rather than from someone in a position of authority.

While the behaviours themselves may appear as gossip, bullying, undermining, shaming, or exclusion, the deeper concern is the impact these patterns have on relationships, wellness, and community safety.

The Impact on Workplace Safety and Wellness

When employees don’t feel psychologically safe, communication breaks down and trust within teams begins to break down. In healthcare and community services especially, these environments can directly affect the quality and safety of care being provided.

Research continues to show the significant impact workplace conflict and harassment can have on employee wellbeing. Statistics Canada reported that 47% of women and 31% of men have experienced some form of harassment or sexual assault in the workplace. Another Canadian survey found that 70% of workers who experienced harassment or violence had to miss work because of its negative effects. Burnout now affects nearly 39% of Canadian employees, placing emotional and operational strain on organizations and communities alike.

For Indigenous employees, these challenges are often compounded by experiences of discrimination and inequity. Statistics Canada has found Indigenous workers are significantly more likely to experience workplace discrimination than non-Indigenous workers.

The Movement Towards Lateral Kindness

Across Canada, many organizations are shifting the conversation away from blame and toward healing, accountability, communication, and lateral kindness. Creating psychologically safe workplaces means building environments where people feel respected and empowered to resolve conflict in healthy ways.

By strengthening communication skills, addressing unhealthy workplace dynamics, and supporting wellness-centered leadership, organizations can build stronger teams, healthier workplaces, and more resilient communities.

Is Lateral Violence happening in your workplace or community? Are you looking to join the movement towards Lateral Kindness?

Contact Us today to learn more about our Lateral Violence to Lateral Kindness (LV2LK) workshops and training.

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