Jessica Hickman is the Founder of Bullyology which is a a thought leadership program focused on empowering corporate organisations with the insights and tools to transform toxic cultures in connected tribes.

Jessica is also the published author of the book ‘The Bullyologist: Breaking the Silence on Bullying’. Jessica is a business influencer and consultant with a core focus on empowering others to own their ability to speak out and in turn become champions of change. Why? Because changing the world starts with every individual’s decision to stand up and be the change they wish to see in the world.

With a background working for local government and council in the UK, Jessica believed she had landed her dream job when she came across an opportunity to work in Human Resources for a Darwin-based oil and gas project in Australia. Before that, she had honed her skills in career coaching and cultural change, while also completing a degree in youth and community. At the heart of her mission from day one was a focus on the well being of people leading to high performance through the creation of healthier workplace cultures.

In this role, Jessica exceeded all expectations. A strategic thinker, she identified clear gaps with regards to mental health support and ensured that the workplace was safe and supportive. She continued to sharpen her skills becoming certified in training and assessment, suicide intervention skills, career coaching, mentoring and mindfulness. This led her to receive a slew of nationally recognised industry awards including but not limited to Exceptional Women in Resources, The Northern Territory Young Achiever Awards – NT Somerville Community Service and the Minister for Families Excellence in Youth Leadership – Community Fundraiser Award.

Despite her professional success, underneath the mask of high performance, the cracks were starting to appear. Only six months into the job, Jessica found herself on the frontline of workplace bullying and harassment. After almost four years of holding it together mentally and emotionally, she eventually left the role suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, burnout and anxiety. This experience undeniably left some scars, but with pain, there is a purpose, and Jessica was determined to inspire others to stand up against toxic cultures that inadvertently promote this kind of harassment.

Back in Sydney, Jessica reflected on her experience realising that toxic cultures can only be facilitated by disempowered people. If we can empower people with the courage to call out injustice and abuse, then one by one, we can replace the Bystander Effect with The Upstander Movement. Cultures built upon caring for people as the number one priority. As a result, in 2017, Jessica launched Bullyolgy, a thought leadership program focused on empowering corporate organisations with the insights and tools to transform toxic cultures in connected tribes.