“Upwards bullying, like other forms of workplace bullying is often more subtle and less obvious to other staff”, says Dr Sarah Branch, psychologist and author into a study on workplace bullying, from Griffith University.
Office gossip, withholding information and intentionally missing deadlines are among the tactics used to bully one in four Australian bosses, according to the study from Dr Branch.
The study into staff who target and harass their managers, a behaviour coined ‘upwards bullying’ found other common bullying tactics included spreading workplace rumours, skipping meetings and ignoring views and opinions of managers.
Dr Branch found that many managers felt uncomfortable about reporting the bullying for fear of not being taken seriously or being expected to deal with the situation on their own. Bullying can occur at any level of an organisation.
Although managers clearly have formal authority, they can also be the victim of bullying and need just as much support as other staff.
The study found one of the main triggers for upwards bullying is organisational change. So it is often with a disgruntled employee, unhappy with change, such as management or processes, or working conditions, they may blame their manager and respond by bullying them.
With thanks, “MANAGEMENT TODAY”, September 2009
