Workplace misconduct is on the rise. A 2023 report found that employees who witnessed bullying at work increased by 13 points, yet fear of retaliation still plagues professional environments. Approximately 47% of Gen Z workers said they did not report misconduct due to fear of retaliation. Toxic work cultures are growing, and it’s time to cut workplace toxicity and turn to tech. The open-door policies and anonymous hotlines of the past are no longer the only ways to resolve misconduct. As nearly all industries rely on tech tools in the digital age, employers must source these cutting-edge solutions when it comes to protecting their organizations, people and cultures.
Here are three ways the right tech solutions can help reduce unhealthy work cultures:
Security Builds Environments of Trust
With increased use of technology to support successful business operations, cybersecurity must be a top priority for employers. Organizations now recognize that human-related errors are the cause for 95% of cybersecurity breaches, which is why a misconduct reporting solution should be secure in itself. When turning to technology to combat workplace toxicity, it’s crucial to use a tool that builds trust with both employers and employees. Small businesses and large corporations tend to be common cybersecurity targets, so ensuring the security of the platforms your HR departments use for misconduct reporting is key.
Transparency and Communication Create Accountability
It’s important for everyone to have a sense of accountability in the workplace. When transitioning to a tech-enabled misconduct solution to mitigate toxic cultures, the platform must provide transparency to both the employer and employee. Particularly, employers should have access to real-time insights regarding reporting and trends within the organization to address issues before more arise. Also, employees should have access to view the status of their incident reports to know where the investigation stands. This type of transparency instills trust and lets everyone know that all issues are taken seriously and will be resolved. Additionally, a tech solution that values transparency and communication will benefit younger generations, such as Gen Z, as 56% of this group choose not to report workplace misconduct because they feel no action will be taken.
Accessibility and Ease-of-Use Empowers People
Implementing a new technology format to report and resolve workplace issues is great, but if no one fully understands how to operate it, then it becomes more of a hurdle than a solution. First, having the ability to report 24/7 is imperative. Second, employers should invest in a platform that empowers people, meaning employees can report misconduct anonymously or non-anonymously. With Work Shield’s third-party full-misconduct solution, users are able to report anonymously, or they may choose to give their information which allows for follow-up questions for a more thorough, efficient investigation. Regardless, everyone is empowered through an easy-to-use platform.
From bullying, harassment and discrimination to physical or sexual misconduct at work, it is time for employers to turn to tech to completely cut workplace toxicity from their organizations. By implementing a secure, transparent and accessible platform, your workplace culture will experience a boost, and toxicity will have no place. Work Shield’s comprehensive solution combines cutting-edge technology with human expertise to provide a clear path to resolving misconduct in the workplace.
