Are You a Mob Boss? The Influence of Leadership in Workplace Mobbing

Abstract

Workplace mobbing, a form of collective and sustained psychological harassment, has been recognized as a significant organizational issue with detrimental effects on employee well-being and productivity. While mobbing is often associated with peer-to-peer conflict, this paper explores the phenomenon of downward mobbing, where leaders or individuals in positions of authority either initiate or perpetuate mobbing against subordinates. Organizational and interpersonal conditions that give rise to mobbing such as power imbalances, toxic leadership styles, and envy, are examined. The paper offers evidence-informed strategies for mitigating leader-driven mobbing, promoting ethical leadership, embedding equity-informed supervision practices, and enhancing accountability through policy and training. The paper highlights the critical role of leadership in the perpetuation of workplace mobbing, but also in its prevention, and calls for a systemic shift in how organizations train, monitor, and support their leaders.