Do your employees feel safe reporting misconduct and harassment in the workplace? Do you have the visibility you need into your organization’s misconduct?
Over the past few years, employee willingness to report workplace misconduct increased, yet despite their willingness, data found that they actually reported less, according to Ethisphere Institute’s Ethical Culture Report. Specifically, this held true for Gen Z, with over 38% of this group of respondents saying they did not report misconduct when they observed it at work. In this environment, today’s employers face several challenges in misconduct and incident management – from fear of retaliation and lack of trust in the process, to privacy concerns. As organizations strive to improve incident management reporting and make reporting more accessible for all employees, there are a few elements that every employer needs in a reporting platform.
Here are tips on what to look for in an efficient and effective incident management solution:
Anonymity: The option for employees to report workplace misconduct anonymously is an obvious solution for the issue of fear of retaliation. If the person’s name is never disclosed, then of course there is no risk of retaliation. Also, anonymous reporting builds trust between employee and employer, as it demonstrates a commitment to cultivating a safe workplace. On the other hand, non-anonymous reporting allows for follow-up questions to gain more details for a thorough, efficient investigation, but it must be conducted through an effective third-party solution. For instance, at Work Shield, only 32% of incidents were reported anonymously, as the majority felt comfortable sharing their information due to the nature of the third-party tech-enabled solution.
Accessibility: A reporting platform that is easy to access and use is key. For the employer, the platform should provide real-time and accessible data on the misconduct issues in their workplace to allow leadership to make data-backed decisions for the organization. It should also provide visibility to where investigations currently stand and what next steps are to the resolution. For employees, it’s important to provide a solution where workers can safely report 24/7 with a secure user ID and password that makes the process easy. With one platform that meets the needs of employer and employee, organizations can streamline incident management, reduce paperwork and offer an effective misconduct solution.
Monitoring and Reporting: An organization’s reporting platform must include proper tracking and monitoring, as this creates a culture of accountability. In fact, data shows that 91% of employees say that “effectively holding others accountable” is a top need amongst their organization’s leadership. It’s critical to utilize a platform that provides transparency to the employer and the employee. For employers, they should have visibility to trouble spots in their organization or trends in misconduct that should be addressed. For employees, they need visibility into where their investigation stands in order to know that it is being properly handled and will be resolved.
Every employer should look for a reporting platform that includes the option for anonymity, accessibility to all within the organization and the technology to track and monitor incident reports in real time. With Work Shield’s misconduct solution, you can ensure that you have an easy-to-use reporting platform equipped with everything needed to conduct all aspects of an investigation to mitigate risks and lower costs.
