Most HR professionals fear reprisals for speaking up
Almost a quarter (23 per cent) of HR professionals said their organisation actively discouraged staff to speak out and raise concerns, in a survey of more than 2,500 middle and seniors managers worldwide.
When asked: ‘What is the most important issue for your organisation?’ just 5 per cent of HR workers said whistleblowing, while 37 per cent said retention of talent was the most pressing concern for their employers.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, the law firm that conducted the survey, said it was up to HR to move the issue up their own organisation’s risk agenda as the survey revealed high levels of corporate complacency across the globe.
“Despite a recent spate of high-profile whistleblowers and an increase in the number of instances leading to global investigations and fines, companies are ill-prepared to deal with concerns raised by their employees,” said Caroline Stroud, global practice group leader for the law firm’s employment, pensions and benefits group.
“Corporates need to adopt sufficient internal reporting systems to recognise and manage these matters more effectively. Given the high-level nature of whistleblowers’ issues such as financial mismanagement, corruption or criminal activities, and the related major reputational risks, adequate whistleblowing procedures are clearly a board-level issue.”
But even though 13 per cent of managers said they had experienced a colleague whistleblowing, and 12 per cent reported blowing the whistle themselves, more than half (53 per cent) of respondents said their companies either didn’t have a specific policy or fail to publicise it if there is one.
While HR employees were least likely to be complacent about reporting wrongdoing – just 1 per cent said they would never raise a concern – the survey data showed that HR professionals continue to fear reprisal for blowing the whistle, more so than employees in other areas of the business.
Almost three quarters (73 per cent) of all HR professionals surveyed believe senior management at their organisation would either treat them less favourably or look for ways to terminate their employment if they blew the whistle.
“It’s surprising that employees continue to fear unfavourable treatment. In many countries, including the UK, the right to blow the whistle on particular violations without suffering detriment is protected by law. Boards need to create a culture in which employees are not only protected but genuinely encouraged to make disclosures to their superiors,” said Stroud.
Cathy James, chief executive of charity Public Concern at Work, said the fact that whistleblowing is overlooked in so many businesses was a “depressingly familiar story”, but getting it right could mean the difference between “damage prevented or disaster averted”.
“We need to challenge the perception that to speak up requires courage because of the risks, or is somehow futile. A good starting point would be to champion and celebrate those who question wrongdoing, risk and malpractice.*** While this requires some imagination and a bit of work, it is not expensive or difficult,” she said.
***Bullshit
