7 questions to ask when implementing an anonymous misconduct reporting platform

Gemma McCall

| HR advice
|
| 8 min read

Choosing the right employee misconduct anonymous reporting platform software is vital to help you improve reporting rates, understand what is truly happening in your business, giving your employees a safe and secure way to report misconduct in the workplace and building a speak up culture.
With many HR software options out there, it can be difficult to know which platform is best for you. We’ve compiled some key questions to ask when considering implementing an anonymous misconduct reporting platform to help you know what to look for long-term success.

How safe is the platform and how secure is the data in it?

HR and people teams aren’t always experts in data protection but when it comes to licencing an anonymous misconduct reporting platform, it’s vital to ask the right questions to ensure the platform is secure and the data you will be collecting complies with the GDPR.

Some important questions to ask are:

  • Does the platform require two-factor authentication or single sign on?
  • Is it end-to-end encrypted?
  • Does the provider have a Cyber Essentials or ISO certification?
  • Where and how is the data stored?
  • Does the provider have enterprise level security features?

Data security is hugely important, particularly when reports are being made anonymously, or in confidence.

Is it compliant?

Legal and regulatory compliance should be top of the agenda for any business, it may sound obvious but it’s possible that the software company is based outside of the UK and complies with a different country’s regulations. For example, some anonymous reporting platforms are created by US companies and therefore may not adhere to the same rules and regulatory standards as we do in the UK such as the Worker Protection Act which came into force on 26 October 2024.
You should always check that the software you plan to use is compliant in your country to avoid any legal issues further down the line.
The good news is that Culture Shift is a UK company, covered by UK law and we take compliance very seriously.

Is the platform and data reports collected truly anonymous?

True anonymity should mean that even the organisation cannot track who the anonymous report came from.
Anonymous reporting is essential for several reasons (you can read a more in-depth article on that topic here). But essentially, anonymous reporting is important for building trust, encouraging open reporting and to fully protect employees.
If employees are led to believe the reporting platform is anonymous but it turns out that’s not quite the case, not only does it raise serious ethical questions, but it also destroys the trust you have worked hard to build with your employees.

Is it easy to access and to use – for employees and your people team?

Implementing new software can be a learning curve for employees but the key to a successful platform is its user-friendly interface and simple reporting process that requires minimal training.
If the reporting process is too complex, this can create barriers to reporting and if the back-end case management system is too difficult for your people team to navigate, it can be a cause of frustration, creating inefficiency and the potential for reports to go without follow up.
Is the reporting platform cloud-based and easy to access? Can you access it on multiple types of device? This is important to increase the likelihood of employees using the platform.
Ask for a software demo from both the employees’ and HR team’s perspective so you get a full understanding of how the platform works.

How customisable is the platform?

Are the data reports and dashboards customisable so you can really dig into the data and get a better picture of what is happening in your organisation? Every organisation is different so it’s important to ensure the system fits your requirements and you can access the data you need.

How long does it take to implement and what’s the timeframe?

Often HR software can take months to implement with multiple phases before it can go live. You may not have the luxury or resource to wait months to roll out a piece of software and even less time to train everyone to use it.
Always do your research and ask the right questions upfront to understand how long the implementation process takes and how quickly the anonymous reporting platform can be rolled out.
The good news is that Culture Shift’s anonymous reporting platform can be live in a matter of weeks, and the software is easy to use, so there’s minimal training requirements for employees or your HR team, so you can get up and running and receiving reports quickly.

What is the aftercare like and is there any ongoing support?

There’s so much more to implementing an anonymous reporting platform than just the software. To make it a success, your employees need to know it exists and adopt using it, so you’ve got to plan an engaging launch, get buy-in from managers and consider ongoing campaigns to encourage the uptake of employees using the platform. You’ll likely need a partner that has experience launching these types of campaigns who can support you.
Once the software is live, can you pick up the phone and speak to someone if you have a problem with the system, and if so, how quick is the response time?
If you’re not seeing results from the platform, is there a team at the provider that can do user-testing to help you understand what’s not working for you and what could be done to improve? For example, are you asking too many questions when it comes to making a report? A good partner will be able to help you identify areas for improvement, understand where the drop off in the form completion is coming from and run A/B testing to deliver better results.
Your HR team will need to continually monitor the reports and data coming in, responding to reports timely and effectively, identifying areas for improvement and feeding back to the leadership team to drive longer term cultural change.
It would be helpful to have a software partner who has culture practitioners on hand to provide practical ongoing advice and support to your people and leadership teams on ways to improve workplace culture, using the data from the reporting platform. Building and improving a culture can be tough and sometimes having impartial advice from an outside provider who has guided hundreds of businesses through culture change management can be hugely beneficial.
It’s also likely that your employees will need continuous training and support, does the software provider offer this?
When you choose Culture Shift, you join an exclusive community of Culture-Shift practitioners. Our Community of Practice brings our partners together at in-person and virtual events, facilitating discussion spaces for ongoing conversations for peer-led support and helping you overcome any challenges you face when it comes to changing your organisation’s culture.

Why choose Culture Shift as your anonymous reporting platform?

Culture Shift is a reporting, case management and analytics all in one platform that enables people to report culture-damaging behaviour in a safe and simple way. With a streamlined reporting process to remove unwanted barriers to reporting and an effective case management system that people can trust, let the data guide your decision making process so you can be confident in the action you’re taking to address real problems and culture-driving initiatives.

  • Enterprise level hosting – our cloud-based platform is hosted on AWS who provide the highest levels of security, stability and performance and is also used by the UK Ministry of Justice, so we’re in good company.
  • High levels of data security – To access your case management system, we offer both Single Sign-On which can be integrated into your organisation’s single sign-on provider to simplify the process, or Two Factor Authentication. Our platform has been built with GDPR, the Equality Act 2010 and the Data Protection Act 2018 in mind. If you’d like to learn about this in more detail, please ask us for more information.
  • ISO 27001 certified – the world’s best-known standard for data security.
  • 365 support and continuous ongoing support – We’re constantly evolving the system, getting feedback from our partners and users, and adding functionality and features to improve it and retain our reputation for being the best product on the market. We offer so much more than just a reporting platform We provide bespoke consultancy and training to ensure you’re set up for success and are in the best possible place to understand all the data you receive and can use it to drive change.

Book a free demo today

Take control of compliance and create a safer, more respectful workplace with Culture Shift’s safe, secure and anonymous reporting platform.

Gemma McCall

I am the co-founder and CEO of Culture Shift, a SAAS company that believes in using tech to bring positive change to people all over the world. For over six years, I have been leading the development and growth of our real-time reporting platform, which empowers organisations to identify and prevent unacceptable behaviours, such as bullying, harassment, and discrimination.

https://culture-shift.co.uk/resources/workplace/7-questions-to-ask

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