Australia’s Worst Boss is proudly powered by Compono — helping teams avoid bad bosses through better hiring, culture insights and leadership development.
Why are we doing this?
At Compono, we believe work should be a place where people thrive — not just survive. That’s why we exist: to build high-performing teams using people science, culture analytics, and AI.
And that’s why we launched Australia’s Worst Boss™.
It’s an honest way to call out a serious issue: bad leadership. Toxic bosses don’t just ruin Mondays — they cost businesses billions in turnover, burnout, and disengagement. But here’s the twist:
Most bad bosses aren’t bad people
They are often under-supported, not experienced, or simply not adequately trained... and yes, sometimes not right for the job. Without honest feedback, they don’t change — they just repeat the same mistakes.
By sharing your story, you’re not just blowing the whistle. You’re helping Australia see what not to do — and what better leadership could look like.
Built by Compono
This campaign is powered by Compono — a team of psychologists, data scientists and technologists who are obsessed with helping people find meaning and performance in work.
If you’re curious about your own style at work, try our free Work Personality Snapshot. In just 60 seconds, you’ll discover how to bring out the best in yourself and others.
The stories you’re reading are real. And sometimes shocking. But this isn’t just a takedown.
It’s a wake-up call.
We want to help people reflect, grow, and lead with impact. That’s why we’re offering coaching sessions and a free leadership program as part of this campaign.
Introducing the Exec Lab
We’re also inviting CEOs, founders and senior leaders to explore their team dynamics and the culture they’re creating.
Our Executive Lab is a 2-hour, data-driven workshop designed to uncover team priorities, blind spots, spark change, and unlock team performance.
Because the truth is: most leaders don’t want to be the villain in someone’s career story.
Australia’s Worst Boss is proudly powered by Compono — helping teams avoid bad bosses through better hiring, culture insights and leadership development.
Yes, you can share stories under a first name or pseudonym. To be eligible for the holiday prize, a winner needs to be contactable to share their story. Any entrant can opt out of follow-up if you'd prefer.
We’re not talking about the boss who once ate your lunch. We’re spotlighting behaviours that are toxic, manipulative, negligent or just plain absurd — the kind that break trust, morale and team culture.
It’s a free tool from Compono that helps you discover your style at work — including how you handle conflict, lead teams and collaborate. It’s fast, insightful, and built on real people science.
Nope. This campaign is about accountability and growth. Many bad bosses don’t even realise the impact they’re having. We want to shine a light — not just throw shade.
We’ve built a leadership program — the Executive Lab — for exactly that. It helps execs understand the culture they’re creating and gives them tools to improve it.
Because we care about culture. Because we believe in better work. And because sometimes, the best way to spark change is with a little humour and a lot of honesty.
Ready to blow the whistle on bad bosses?
It only takes a few minutes to submit your story — and you could walk away with a $5,000 holiday and a career glow-up.
