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Blowing the Whistle on Your Boss Is Risky
July 13, 2017
1:20
 min read

Blowing the Whistle on Your Boss Is Risky

Illustration depicting the risks employees face when blowing the whistle on a superior.
Table of contents
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Coming forward and reporting your boss is a risky business.  There is a great deal of fear associated, especially in an environment that does not foster a 'speak-up' culture.

High risks of retaliation & unemployment

Whistleblowers are often met with unscrupulous tactics in order to end their employment or be punished for bringing the matter to light. In many instances, whistleblowers are pushed out of their employment either directly or indirectly.

Many potential whistleblowers feel so overwhelmed by the situation and the cultural coverup of fraud that they are compelled to resign their position and escape the situation without ever reporting it.

Social isolation on the workplace

If whistleblowers are lucky enough to keep their position with their organisation, they can see their relationships greatly affected.  The whistleblower may find that they will be isolated from others within the organisation by being withheld information.

Or a more severe form of isolation may occur in which they are transferred from their usual working environment to one in which they have little to no interaction with other employees.

☞ In many instances whistleblowers are painted by the organisation and/or other employees as being the cause of an issue and should, therefore, remain silent and as a consequence are treated poorly by colleagues.

In some cultures being a whistleblower is not the ‘done thing’.

Need for more protection for Whistleblowers

Even with international laws beginning to catch up with their requirement to protect whistleblowers, more still needs to be done.

Many organisations are learning that only by providing employees with an anonymous way to speak up about wrongdoing, including harassment and bullying, can employees truly feel safe and secure to come forward about issues affecting them and the organisation.

Foster a speak-up culture in your organisation

Enable your employees and business stakeholders to inform anonymously their organisations on risks and breaches of good, ethical business practices.

Guide & Template

RFP Template for a Whistleblowing Platform

Structure your whistleblowing platform selection and compare vendors on clear, objective criteria.

Download the guide

Conclusion

The risks of retaliation and social isolation are real, but they shouldn't be the price for integrity. To truly protect your employees and your business, you must move beyond policy and provide a secure, tech-driven solution. Whispli offers a safe and strictly anonymous platform that eliminates the fear of being identified or ostracized.

By providing a secure two-way communication channel, Whispli allows your team to report misconduct without risking their careers or well-being. Don’t let a culture of silence undermine your organization: leverage Whispli to build a transparent, ethical, and protected workplace today.

Ready to take the next step?

Discover how Whispli supports whistleblowing, disclosures, and enterprise governance at scale.

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