Treats not Tricks – Lessons from a Little Shop of Workplace Horrors
For most people, Halloween is a fun holiday that includes dressing up in costumes and eating more candy than your typical dessert would include. For others, Halloween brings out all things spooky and scary. As a parent with kids now too old to “shell out,” Halloween for me means watching movies in between doorbell rings and chants of “Trick or Treat” from our neighbours. This year, in addition to the traditional “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” I thought I’d add a throwback to an oldie but a goodie – the 1986 comedy musical “Little Shop of Horrors”.
Horrors indeed. Try Little Shop of Workplace Horrors!
In this classic musical, the workplace, an otherwise quiet flower shop with only two employees, is filled with plenty of workplace hazards. And while the movie is obviously not meant to be taken seriously, it does provide some important reminders for employers regarding their obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Human Rights Code. So, before the Ministry of Labour comes knocking to “trick or treat” on your door, let’s take a look at the Halloween Treats we receive from this small downtown business. But beware – spoilers ahead!
The story opens on the streets outside Mushnik Flower Shop, a business located in a run-down part of New York known as “Skid Row.” Unfortunately for Mr. Mushnik’s employees, Seymour and Audrey, the flower shop is struggling financially, and Mr. Mushnik is on the verge of closing. That is until Seymour brings in a coffee can holding a small plant he bought from another flower shop during a solar eclipse that brings fame and fortune to both the shop and Seymour himself. Of course, Seymour does not realize until it is too late that the plant he has named Audrey II, or Twoey, and thinks is “some kind of flytrap” is actually a carnivorous, ravenous beast from outer space.
Things begin well enough between Seymour and Twoey. He waters and fertilizes the plant and makes sure it gets lots of sunshine in the shop window, like he would with any other plant. Unfortunately, despite Seymour’s care and best efforts, the plant does not grow. Much like an employer providing its employees the appropriate training, resources, and support, success is not guaranteed, and it takes some investigation to determine why the employee is underperforming or failing to meet expectations.
Treat 1 – There may be more than meets the eye. Employers should not pre-judge performance issues, but instead make inquiries to determine if there is an underlying reason an employee is failing to meet the company’s expectations.
If an employer believes their employee is not acting like themselves or suspects they may be suffering from an illness or disability that may be affecting their performance at work, they have a legal obligation to inquire. If that inquiry determines that the employee has a human rights-based reason for being out of sorts (such as a mental illness or caregiving requirements for a sick child or parent), the employer is then obliged to provide the employee with a meaningful opportunity to share what they have been dealing with and request accommodation.
Having asked the question and wracked his brain, in song of course, Seymour learns that the support he has been giving to Twoey has been the wrong kind to guide the plant to success. He discovers instead, albeit by accident, that it is his own blood that Twoey needs to thrive. With that lesson learned, Twoey grows faster and larger than any other plant in the world.
At first, Seymour consents to Twoey sucking on his fingers or drinking drops of his blood. It is not long, however, before each of Seymour’s fingers are bandaged and he is running out of blood. He stops feeding Twoey. Not wanting to stop its growth, or slow its hunger in any way, Twoey demands that Seymour feed it, no matter the cost.
Treat 2 – An employer’s duty is not to provide the employee’s preferred manner or form of accommodation, nor is the duty to accommodate unlimited. Rather, an employer is required to provide reasonable and appropriate accommodation, dependent on the unique circumstances, and only if doing so does not cause undue hardship.
To determine whether an accommodation may create undue hardship, the employer may consider factors including the costs associated with the accommodation, external or third-party assistance or funding that may be available, and any health and safety risks associated with the accommodation, including risks to other employees. The “treat” here is that Seymour was accommodating Twoey, in a sense. He should have known he had to accommodate it sooner, by making proper inquiries. But once Seymour learned that Twoey’s needs included sucking him dry (literally), or a real piece of him (again, literally), it was reasonable for him to stop giving in to Twoey’s demands.
Thankfully, even Twoey’s attempts to intimidate Seymour and promises of riches do not change Seymour’s mind. He not only refuses to sacrifice his own health and physical well-being, but also to kill another, simply to satisfy Twoey’s demands and needs, even knowing that his employer’s success depends on the fame and notoriety of the plant.
Treat 3 – Ontario workers have the right to refuse work that they believe is unsafe or dangerous to themselves or others. Exercising the right to refuse unsafe or dangerous work should be used for serious and imminent hazards only, and not where other hazard reporting methods or procedures are available and appropriate.
Seymour and Audrey went beyond what most employees would have done at work. But no employee is required to submit to dangerous conditions, even those created by a plant.
Unfortunately for Seymour and Audrey, Twoey finds other sources of food and continues to grow. And with the growth of its leaves and roots comes the growth of its ego and perceived power. Twoey knows the celebrity, honour and financial success it has brought, and continues to bring to the shop, and it feels entitled to keep on taking what it needs. So, when Audrey visits the flower shop alone one night, Twoey asks Audrey to water it. Not suspecting any danger, Audrey approaches and is quickly caught by Twoey’s vines and is drawn into its trap. Thankfully, Seymour arrives in time to save Audrey (at least in the movie version) and prevent there being yet another victim of the evil flower.
Treat 4 – Inappropriate behaviour in the workplace, such as bullying and harassment, left unchecked, can escalate into workplace violence, including physical assault. All workers are entitled to a healthy and safe workplace.
Through the lens of a modern workplace, Seymour and Audrey experienced violence and harassment. Employers should address inappropriate behaviour and conduct in the workplace and seek a resolution as soon as possible. Incidents of workplace harassment, bullying and violence must, by law, be addressed and an investigation appropriate in the circumstances conducted as soon as possible in accordance with both the employer’s own policies and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
After Twoey attacks Audrey and tries to eat her, Seymour sees Twoey for the true risk it is to both Audrey and his own personal safety and wellbeing. What’s worse, Seymour realizes that unless and until Twoey is stopped, there is risk of harm to the public at large, particularly when a sales representative from World Botanical Enterprises offers to breed Twoey and sell cuttings from the plant around the world. He confronts Twoey and challenges its plans for worldwide domination. After a fight which destroys the flower shop, Seymour shocks Twoey with electrical wires, blowing it up.
Treat 5 - There is always time to learn from your mistakes and do things better. Simply because a worker has not complained or the employer has condoned workplace issues and/or inappropriate conduct in the past does not mean it should permit the same or similar behaviour in the future.
Seymour willingly drips dry for Twoey at first, and even enjoys the attention he receives as a result of Twoey’s notoriety (especially from Audrey). But despite his good fortune, when he sees that Twoey’s appetite is too great, and so is the risk of allowing Twoey to go on growing (especially to his true love, Audrey), he acts without hesitation. The impact that misconduct and inappropriate behaviour can have on a workplace is far reaching – though perhaps not to the point of an evil plant’s worldwide domination. That said, when employers know about issues in or affecting the workplace, they need to act and should work to resolve issues early as part of their organizational strategy to maintain their employer brand and reputation.
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Much of workplace health and safety is really common sense and doesn’t have to be tricky work. It’s a part of an employer’s everyday business and should be seen as a way to treat your employees.
