No matter what type of business or industry you are in, you are guaranteed to encounter harassment, misconduct, or ethical concerns in the workplace. The role of human resources is crucial in making sure that the people responsible for these situations are held accountable! There is a need to have a formal process for employees to report any company violations or complaints so that the company can take appropriate action.
The problem is, not all employees are willing to step forward and become whistleblowers. This is why establishing an anonymous can help promote a culture of honesty and accountability in the workplace.
Here’s how your company can benefit from an anonymous whistleblower hotline.
Encouraging a Speak-up Culture
With a whistleblower hotline, employers and decision-makers become aware of whatever issues there are in the workplace. Some people don’t have any problems reporting any misconduct face to face, but for those who aren’t comfortable with that approach, the anonymous hotline is there to help. You are basically opening a new channel for employees to be transparent with their concerns without the fear of retaliation!
Demonstrating Trust and Determination
The presence of a whistleblower hotline instills confidence in the employees that the company cares about what they have to say. It demonstrates to the employees that you want to be made aware of their concerns and that you are determined to take the necessary steps in resolving them.
The sooner you are informed of the issue, the sooner you can fix it. By communicating your commitment to investigate any misbehaviour, your employees will be reassured that you will engage in such cases and work to a solution by any means necessary!
Avoiding Violations and Legal Battles
Many organizations facing regulatory violations are often in that position because they didn’t have a mechanism in place for reporting misconduct. When employees feel that their voices aren’t being heard and they feel that the company isn’t doing anything to resolve the issue, things can escalate!
Employees can always go outside of the organization to have their voices heard however, as long as there are systems in place for employees to voice their complaints or concerns, regulatory violations that lead to legal battles can be avoided.
Reinforcing an Ethical Culture
A comfortable platform to speak up isn’t the only thing your employees can benefit from when offering an anonymous hotline. When they realize that their concerns are being taken seriously, they’ll feel like they’ve done something good for the company and their fellow employees. This can also cause a ripple effect and encourage other employees to report any misbehaviour that they encounter. By doing this you will be creating an autonomous culture that benefits all parties involved and the organizational culture as a whole.
Understanding a Deeper Issue
A whistleblower hotline is one of the ways for employers to know what the issues within the company are- but more than that, you get the opportunity to learn why it is happening in the first place!
The problems being reported may just be the symptoms of a deeper issue. Whatever you’ve learned from an tip can be used to dig deeper and apply it to existing policies and communications. Identifying the deeper issue and trying to resolve it can prevent the situation from blowing out of proportion and/or occurring more than once.
Final Thoughts
The option to report anonymously through a secure whistleblower line makes people feel less vulnerable. Anonymous reporting offers protection to the employees as well as the organization’s reputation. Without such a system in place, you may never learn about the troubles plaguing your organization.
If you need help dealing with employee issues in your organization, you need a partner that can engage, collaborate, and deliver results. Involvi is a human resources consulting firm with the goal of making employment relationships seamless and beneficial to everyone. We understand how important your employees are to the success of your organization. Connect with us and get and get a complimentary organizational HR health check!
