Upwards Harassment in Male-Dominated Workplaces

A recent Ontario labour arbitration decision invites reflection on upwards harassment in male-dominated workplaces.

To be clear, this is not about vilifying men or pre-judging the merits of any particular complaint. Employers must take workplace harassment allegations seriously and investigate them carefully. But investigations also benefit from examining the power dynamics that shape how workplace conflicts emerge in the first place.

Sometimes what appears to be a straightforward complaint may also reflect deeper structural tensions.

The Case

The case involved three complaints made against a senior female police officer.

The complaints arose shortly after one of the complainants had been caught taking a sick day to interview with another police service. He resigned soon after and was escorted from the workplace. The three complainants were friends.

The allegations against the officer included claims of:

• bullying
• favouritism
• inappropriate sexual relationships with junior officers

Some of the allegations dated back more than fifteen years. Others were vague, referring generally to unnamed officers. The officer denied the allegations, and there were witnesses who could corroborate her account.

Ultimately, the investigation was never completed. No findings of fact were issued. As a result, we will never know what actually occurred. But the timing and framing of the complaints raise an important question about workplace dynamics: could this situation reflect a form of upwards harassment?

Upwards Harassment in Male-Dominated Workplaces

Harassment is often understood as behaviour flowing downward through formal hierarchies. But harassment, at its core, follows power structures, and sometimes social or interpersonal power can work against hierarchical power. Case in point: upwards harassment in male-dominated workplaces where a group of male subordinates harass a female superior is a well-documented phenomenon.

Research and workplace investigations have long noted that this dynamic can arise when women occupy leadership roles in spaces historically associated with masculine authority.

In this case, the officer described experiencing sexist comments and conduct throughout her career. As a woman in a senior policing role, she occupied a position that disrupted traditional gender expectations.

When leadership is culturally coded as masculine, a woman exercising authority may be perceived by some as a threat, particularly if disciplinary authority is exercised against members of a close-knit group.

Where formal authority lies with the supervisor, group loyalty and interpersonal alliances can sometimes become tools to rebalance power.

The Gendered Scripts in Workplace Complaints

The content of the complaints also reflected several familiar gender stereotypes.

These narratives appear frequently in investigations involving women in leadership roles.

1. The “Aggressive B****”

The officer was accused of bullying and being overly harsh in decisions involving overtime and career progression.

Women in authority are often judged differently when exercising the same managerial discretion expected of male supervisors. Behaviour framed as “strong leadership” in men may be framed as aggression or hostility when displayed by women. For example, in this case, many of the challenged leadership decisions were approved by the officer's superior (the Chief) and yet the complaints were directed solely at the officer.

2. The “Caregiver”

Another allegation suggested the officer failed to provide sufficient emotional support during a colleague’s personal difficulties.

Women leaders are often expected to perform additional emotional labour in the workplace. When they do not meet these expectations, the perceived shortfall can become a source of conflict.

3. The “Siren”

The complaints also alleged improper sexual relationships with junior officers.

Notably, the officer had publicly disclosed that she was in a same-sex relationship. In some workplace environments, women who do not conform to expected gender roles may face increased scrutiny and vulnerability to reputational attacks (thus increasing the social power disparity).

Why These Dynamics Matter in Law

Under human rights and occupational health and safety legislation, sexual harassment does not need to involve sexual conduct or intent.

Gender-based hostility, including behaviour rooted in stereotypes about how women should behave, can also constitute sexual harassment.

Recognizing these patterns is important not because it proves what occurred in any individual case, but because gendered narratives can shape how workplace conflict unfolds. When complaints arise within close social groups, particularly in moments of perceived status threat, those dynamics deserve careful attention during an investigation.

The Consequences of Unresolved Processes

In this case, the consequences were significant.

The officer was placed on leave. The investigation extended for years without resolution. Eventually the police service itself was disbanded before any findings were issued.

The officer experienced serious impacts on her mental health and was left in professional limbo.

Situations like this illustrate how prolonged and unresolved investigative processes can carry real human and organizational costs.

What Employers Can Take From This

Employers must investigate harassment complaints. That obligation is fundamental to safe workplaces.

But good investigations do more than assess individual allegations. They also examine the broader context in which complaints arise.

Questions worth asking early include:

• Are group dynamics influencing the complaint process?
• In which direction does social power flow relative to formal authority between the parties?
• Are gender stereotypes shaping how behaviour is interpreted?
• Are there underlying organizational tensions that need addressing?

But this case also offers an upstream lesson. If we are serious about gender equity in leadership, we need to be able to recognize and address workplace power dynamics before they escalate into formal complaints.

Where workplace cultures reinforce rigid gender expectations, employers should consider intentional norm-shifting interventions through policy design, training, and leadership practices that challenge harmful assumptions about authority, gender, and power. While cultural change is never immediate, research consistently shows that sustained interventions can shift workplace norms and reduce the likelihood of conflict rooted in stereotype or status threat.

Organizations that address these dynamics early are better positioned to support fair investigations, protect employee wellbeing, and build workplaces people trust.

Need Help With These Issues?

I work with organizations to design practical, legally sound systems for addressing workplace conflict before it escalates.

I provide:

• Sexual harassment and workplace harassment training grounded in real workplace dynamics
• Policy and program design for harassment prevention and response systems
• Workplace audits to assess where problematic norms, tensions, or power dynamics may be developing and what to do about them
• Independent workplace investigations

If your organization is reviewing its harassment policies, leadership training, or investigation processes, feel free to get in touch.

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