How to Handle an Employee Who Goes Around You to Your Boss

An employee bypassed you and went directly to your manager, the owner, or another senior leader without bringing the issue to you first.  Whether it happened once or has become a pattern, it undermines your authority and signals a breakdown in the reporting relationship.  Here is how to address it.

First: Find Out What Was Said

Before addressing the situation with your employee, find out from your own manager what was discussed and why.  You need to understand the content of the conversation before you can respond to the process issue.  If the employee raised a legitimate concern that you were not aware of, that is important context.  If the employee went around you with a complaint about you specifically, that is a different situation.

Separate the Content From the Process

There are two things to address: what the employee went to your boss about, and how they did it.  These require separate conversations.  Address the content first. If the employee raised a valid concern, acknowledge it and address it directly.  Dismissing a legitimate issue because of how it was raised conflates two things that should be handled independently.

Once the content is addressed, address the process.

Have the Direct Conversation About the Process

'I want to talk about how you brought this to [manager's name].  I understand you had a concern.  Going forward, I need you to come to me first with concerns about your work, our team, or anything related to your role.  If after that conversation you feel the issue was not addressed, you can escalate, but the expectation is that you start with me.'

Keep this conversation factual and forward-looking.  Do not make it punitive or emotional, which will only entrench the dynamic rather than reset it.

Examine Whether You Created the Conditions

Before you conclude that the employee acted inappropriately, honestly assess whether your own management behavior contributed.  Do you respond defensively to concerns? Have past attempts to raise issues with you gone nowhere? Is there a trust problem in the relationship that predates this incident?

This is not about excusing the bypass, but it is about understanding what is actually driving the behavior.  If the employee went around you because they did not believe you would listen, the conversation needs to address that dynamic, not just the act of bypassing.

Reset the Relationship With Your Own Manager

After addressing it with your employee, follow up with your own manager to close the loop.  'I spoke with [employee] about bringing concerns to me first before escalating.  I want to make sure we are aligned on how to handle this going forward.' This demonstrates that you are managing the situation rather than being managed by it.

If going around you becomes a pattern after a direct conversation, it is a conduct issue that follows your normal progressive discipline process: document the conversation, issue a written warning if the behavior continues, and clear consequences if it does not change.

Our Progressive Discipline Policy template gives you the framework to address conduct issues, including insubordination and bypassing the chain of command, with consistency and documentation.

Editable Word document + PDF.  Instant download.  Created by a SHRM-SCP certified HR professional.

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