Ben Nickerson is the singer/songwriter behind "Better Way Forward". Screenshot from the "Better Way Forward" music video.

A local singer/songwriter is addressing workplace bullying through his new single.

“Better Way Forward” by Ben Nickerson was released in October and currently has over nine thousand views on YouTube.

Nickerson drew on his own experiences with workplace bullying to write the song.

“I was in a toxic workplace for 18 years. Once I got out I started realizing the toll that it had taken on my mental health, my relationships over the years,” says Nickerson. “I put a beat on one day, was thinking about it and just wrote it all in about five minutes.”

He says bullying takes on many forms and can influence every aspect of your life.

Speaking with our newsroom, Nickerson opened up about the anxiety he felt every day and how it led to issues with alcohol. He is now six months sober.

He shared a message for people struggling with bullying in the workplace.

“If you’re not being treated properly at work, you need to talk to somebody,” says Nickerson. “The change is going to have to come from within and it’s going to have to be people standing up to the bullies and to the people that are creating this atmosphere.”

Watch the full music video for “Better Way Forward” here.

Hear the full interview with Ben Nickerson this Saturday on Y95’s The Weekender.