Almost all (94%) of UK employees would report workplace malpractice while just 6% would never do so, new research has found.
More than two in three (67%) workers also believe they know how to report any wrongdoing, according to a survey by Safecall.
The study by the independent whistleblowing hotline service further found that half (53%) of employees think they would remain anonymous if they did report malpractice. But 38% of the more than 2,000 survey respondents believe they would face consequences at work if they did blow the whistle.
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The research highlighted that while it’s a positive sign that most people would report wrongdoing, many employees may not be reporting it to the right person.
Half (52%) would approach their line manager in the first instance, which could increase the burden on them, as well as risk the issue being handled by someone who lacks sufficient training to deal with it. This could mean incorrect processes are followed and incidents not being managed adequately, warned Safecall.
Two-thirds (65%) of those polled think a good whistleblowing process improves company culture, while 56% believe using an independent service would be more trustworthy than following an in-house process to report malpractice.
However, just 12% say they would report any incidents to an independent whistleblowing hotline.
Joanna Lewis, managing director of Safecall, commented: “It is encouraging to see that the vast majority of employees believe they would report malpractice at work – but the gap between people’s predictions of hypothetical behaviour and the reality when confronted with a bad situation can be vast. There remains a lack of trust within the workforce and a fear of repercussions, meaning some incidents are still being ignored.
“Anonymity, and thus a consequence-free environment, fosters a safe space. Being able to provide this to employees is key to reducing malpractice and taking the burden off managers and others, many of whom aren’t specifically trained to deal with certain situations. Having said that, some level of training is critical as its clear line managers are often a first port of call. And the focus for the business cannot stop at the report itself; the investigation must be thorough and fair too.”
In the UK, the Worker Protection Act became effective in October 2024, which underlines the role of whistleblowing in fighting sexual harassment at work. However, the Protection for Whistleblowing Bill was not progressed through Parliament.
Lewis added: “Companies looking to create a positive, trustworthy and inclusive culture should consider utilising formalised independent whistleblowing solutions, as well as taking steps to properly promote these systems and processes internally so that employees have the confidence to report malpractice while remaining anonymous and free of consequence.”
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