
Worst Ten Bosses:
The Bedside Bully
"From my hospital bed, my boss screamed I’d broken company policy."
Help us crown Australia’s Worst Boss.
💡 Every vote counts.
Every vote donates $1 to RUOK? (up to $5,000).

Worst Ten Bosses:
The Bedside Bully
"From my hospital bed, my boss screamed I’d broken company policy."
Help us crown Australia’s Worst Boss.
💡 Every vote counts.
Every vote donates $1 to RUOK? (up to $5,000).
One of the Worst Ten Bosses:
The Bedside Bully
Story submitted by Rosie
Whilst lying in emergency with pancreatitis my boss rang me to find out where I was.
I told her I was in hospital and she screamed at me for not making her a priority and reporting this to her.
She then told the work receptionist to ring me back up and quote work policy on reporting absences from work.
I was in so much agony I had been drugged up to the hilt been awake all night that the drugs knocked me out.
There was no compassion no understanding my boss was and still is a bully.
👀 Our Take
Berating a sick employee from their hospital bed shows complete absence of empathy. It’s abuse, not leadership.
🧠 Could this have been avoided?
Of course. Compassionate leave policies and trust in medical circumstances are leadership basics that protect both people and brand.

Help us crown Australia’s Worst Boss

Your vote isn’t just about calling out bad leadership. For every vote cast, Compono will donate $1 to R U OK? Day (up to $5,000).
Together, we can shine a light on workplace culture — and start building better bosses.
Why are we doing this?
Bad bosses don’t just ruin Monday mornings — they crush teams, kill culture, and cost businesses billions.
At Compono, we help companies turn chaos into clarity through people science, analytics and AI.
Because the real win isn’t crowning a bad boss — it’s learning how to build good ones.
See what kind of boss you’d be in 60 seconds. 👇

Rudy Crous, CEO & Corporate Psychologist

Questions?
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How do I vote?
Simple — just click the Cast My Vote button and select your pick from the Worst Ten Bosses in our online voting form. One vote per person.
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Can I stay anonymous?
Yes. Your name won’t be shown publicly. We just need a valid email to count your vote and donate $1 to R U OK? Day.
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Why does Compono care about bad bosses?
Because bad bosses cost Australia big time — in morale, turnover, and productivity. At Compono, we use people science and AI to help businesses build better leaders and healthier teams.
- Where does the R U OK? donation come in?
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What happens after voting closes?
The story with the most votes will be crowned Australia’s Worst Boss. We’ll announce the winner publicly, share the lessons learned, and shine a spotlight on how workplaces can do better.
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What is in it for the winner?
The major prize is a $5,000 holiday voucher for the winner to escape wherever and however they like. They’ll also get:
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3x coaching sessions with a Compono corporate psychologist to unpack what kind of boss they’d be (or how to survive one).
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A spotlight moment — their story will be featured in our campaign, socials, and media.
In short: bragging rights, a getaway, and a career glow-up.
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Can I still share my own story?
Got a horror story of your own? Share on social media with #worstbossAU
You won’t make this year’s Top Ten — but your story could help us shine a light on what’s broken in Aussie workplaces.
And maybe, just maybe, feature in a future campaign.
READY TO CROWN AUSTRALIA’S WORST BOSS?
The Worst Ten Bosses are in — now it’s up to you.
Vote for the story that deserves the crown and help us send a message: bad bosses don’t win.
🗳️ Voting closes: 28 Sept at Midnight