.jpg)
It looks like people manning whistleblowing hotlines in the UK had a busy 2017. Particularly in the financial sector, research shows calls surged 41% last year – and Hollywood played a role.
“The tsunami of public whistleblowing that was unleashed in the autumn following revelations in Hollywood, and then elsewhere, has emboldened Britain’s financial sector employees to increasingly report workplace problems, whether harassment or other issues,” noted John Wilson, chief executive at whistleblowing hotline service provider Expolink. “The FCA’s new whistleblowing rules, which took effect in 2016, have encouraged companies affected by them to review and strengthen this area.”
Expolink’s Whistleblowing Benchmarking Report examined over 8,000 reports filed last year by UK employees – spanning across the hotlines for at least 600 major firms, including more than half of the FTSE 100 banks and insurance companies.
“Simply ‘turning a blind eye’ to damaging or unethical behaviour never ends well,” said Wilson, who cited the importance of having readily available speak-up channels in place, as well as a culture of listening to staff issues. “Insurers recognise this better than most companies, and many are investing significant resources in ensuring their employees feel safe and reassured in raising concerns via whistleblowing hotlines.”
In the UK financial sector, HR matters such as gross misconduct or grievances with colleagues or managers accounted for 30% of the reported problems; 17%, breach of company policy or procedures; and 15%, bullying, discrimination, or harassment.
