Nearly half the staff at Iceland's National Audit Office witnessed workplace bullying or harassment. An internal risk assessment found 11% of employees experienced misconduct firsthand. The office handles oversight of all Icelandic government institutions.
Employees describe a toxic work environment under Auditor General Guðmundur Björgvin Helgason. He now directly oversees all human resources matters following these revelations.
Three of the office's five department directors have been on sick leave since spring. Workplace surveys show management scores have dropped substantially in recent years.
The National Audit Office scored 3.97 out of 5 for management quality last assessment period. This places it far from the worst-performing government agency but reflects clear internal problems. Its work conditions score of 4.48 ranks 12th among all Icelandic institutions.
Sources within the office describe the Auditor General's behavior as inappropriate and sometimes threatening. They allege he punishes staff who disagree with him and leaks confidential employee information.
Guðmundur Björgvin assumed office in June 2022 and was initially popular among staff. His relationship with employees reportedly deteriorated after he took the top position.
The situation reveals concerning management practices within a key oversight institution. When the office responsible for auditing other government agencies faces such internal issues, it raises questions about institutional accountability across Iceland's public sector.