Whistleblowing In The Workplace Learning Points For HR Part 3

Learning point 3: do not be afraid to manage workers who have raised whistleblowing concerns

At our recent workshops on whistleblowing in the workplace, we talked about how managers can feel inhibited when dealing with employees who have raised what might be whistleblowing complaints. There is inevitably a fear that any less than positive treatment or discussion or instruction or meeting will be alleged to be retaliatory in its intent and then we are off into a world of grievances and general recriminations all round. Even though you know that the warning or iffy appraisal or sharp word you are proposing is totally unrelated to the disclosure you know also that the whistleblowing context will effectively put the burden on you to prove it, and frankly it just isn't worth the grief. It is just easier to grind your teeth in the privacy of your own desk and let whatever it is slide.