A seminar was held in Shepparton recently to highlight the worrying scenario of bosses being bullied by their own employees.
Maureen Kyne from Maureen Kyne & Associates said the COVID-19 pandemic had created a power shift in upward bullying.
She said it could range from multi-tasking during remote meetings, not returning to the office, ignoring directives and poor attitudes in behaviour.
Ms Kyne said many of the attendees did not have a policy in place or were unaware of a policy that could protect them, and how vital it was for managers to address this.
She said there was a good response from across various industries in Shepparton.
“When the boss isn’t in the office building with their employees it makes it difficult to call out the bullying behaviour,” she says.
“Unlike the pre-COVID office, remote working means employees are in in their own homes, and in an environment they control, and it’s giving rise to insubordination and the upward bully.”