Our team of HR and ER experts collectively have over 250 years’ experience doing the hard yards around anything to do with employment relations and conflict resolution.
We often reflect that many of the complicated employment matters we are required for start off small. However, they escalate because of a natural tendency by employees – and very often their managers – to either ignore the issue and hope it goes away, or to second guess themselves. The downside of this human response is that the organisation misses an all-important opportunity to de-escalate or resolve concerns by way of education or early intervention.
In this context, we have considered the value of introducing an employee Speak-Up channel or whistleblower line that employers can offer to their workforce. A Speak-Up line is a free and confidential line that will be made available by the employer to all personnel, whereby they can raise concerns about fraud and other possible (serious) misconduct.
In our experience, there are two drawbacks to the traditional Speak-Up model. Firstly, they are generally underutilised by employees who lack the confidence to use them and fear that they will be judged as either a time waster, a snitch, or a trouble maker. Secondly, managing confidential allegations can present as a minefield for the employer, especially if these involve allegations of bullying, harassment or sexual harassment.
Ultimately, to support a positive culture and to be effective, a SpeakUp channel must be built on a relationship of mutual trust, and the employee must have complete confidence that their concern will be taken on merit and managed by the recipient, even when the outcome may not be shared with them.
At Three60 Consult, we offer a customised Speak Up channel. This is a safe way for employees to share concerns, workplace-culture observations, or make complaints about anything from interpersonal conflict, fraud, bullying and harassment or toxicity in a free and frank manner without fear of judgement.
It is a constructive platform and allows the employer to get ahead of below-the-line behaviours before they corrode organisational culture and wellbeing.
What we offer:
- An independently monitored Speak Up Line
- Education and embedding
- Preliminary investigations and confidential advice
- Anonymised reporting to our clients on themes, and statistics
- Expert investigative capacity – bullying and harassment, sexual harassment, fraud
If this sounds like something your organisation would benefit from, get in touch with one of our associates today.
