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Bosses Get Bullied Too: Exploring Upwards Bullying to Learn More About Workplace Bullying

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Pathways of Job-related Negative Behaviour

Part of the book series: Handbooks of Workplace Bullying, Emotional Abuse and Harassment ((HWBEAH,volume 2))

Abstract

Upwards bullying is a phenomenon that has received less attention than other forms of bullying (i.e. horizontal and downwards bullying). In part historical, and also driven by the higher number of people experiencing horizontal and downwards bullying, the limited acknowledgement of upwards bullying does not diminish the effect that bullying by subordinates can have on managers and supervisors. Research clearly demonstrates that upwards bullying affects managers/supervisors in a similar way to other targets. Indeed, it may in fact be complicated by the perceptions of others (e.g. fellow managers who believe that “you should be able to manage it”) that can lead to further feelings of shame and helplessness that targets often experience. Such perceptions by others and managers themselves can lead to ignoring the processes of bullying and the development of associated power imbalances between perpetrator and target, as well as the emotional toll that bullying can take on a target. Indeed, upwards bullying research is informing the field regarding how power imbalances can be created especially by highlighting the role that alternative forms of power (e.g. referent, network) can be used tacitly or intentionally to support bullying behaviour. Importantly, it also points to how the system designed to support targets can be used as a weapon against a manager or colleague, thereby undermining the justice process within workplaces. In addition to ongoing research into all facets of upwards bullying in the workplace, further research into how the grievance system can be strengthened is called for.

Kate van Heugten was part of the section editor team for this chapter.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Sara Branch & Sheryl Ramsay

  2. Workplace Mobbing Australia, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Linda Shallcross

  3. School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Andrew Hedges

  4. Department of International Business and Asian Studies, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Michelle Barker

Authors
  1. Sara Branch
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  2. Sheryl Ramsay
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  3. Linda Shallcross
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  4. Andrew Hedges
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  5. Michelle Barker
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sara Branch .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Organizational Behaviour (OB), Indian Institute of Management Organizational Behaviour (OB), Ahmedabad, India

    Premilla D'Cruz

  2. Organizational Behaviour, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad Organizational Behaviour, Ahmedabad, India

    Ernesto Noronha

  3. Faculty of Economics and Business, KU Leuven Faculty of Economics and Business, Brussels, Brussels Hoofdst.ge., Belgium

    Elfi Baillien

  4. School of Management, North Shore MSC, Massey University School of Management, North Shore MSC, Auckland, New Zealand

    Bevan Catley

  5. The University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Karen Harlos

  6. Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen Department of Psychology, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Annie Hogh

  7. Gemzoe Consult, Aarhus, Denmark

    Eva Gemzoe Mikkelsen

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Branch, S., Ramsay, S., Shallcross, L., Hedges, A., Barker, M. (2018). Bosses Get Bullied Too: Exploring Upwards Bullying to Learn More About Workplace Bullying. In: D'Cruz, P., et al. Pathways of Job-related Negative Behaviour. Handbooks of Workplace Bullying, Emotional Abuse and Harassment, vol 2. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6173-8_11-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6173-8_11-1

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