How to Build Trust in Workplace Misconduct Reporting
Our latest research found that more than one-quarter of people have experienced bullying or harassment at work in the past year. Yet almost 60% chose not to report it.
In a recent article for HRZone, our CEO and Co-Founder, Gemma McCall, explores why organisations need to stop viewing workplace misconduct as a reporting problem and start addressing the trust issues that prevent people from speaking up in the first place.
Here is a taster of what Gemma discusses:
"The biggest barrier usually isn’t whether a reporting route exists, it’s whether people trust what will happen if they use it."
The article examines the disconnect many organisations face. While reporting channels, policies and procedures are becoming increasingly common, employees often remain reluctant to use them. Fear of retaliation, concerns about career impact and a lack of faith in outcomes continue to keep people silent, even when they experience serious misconduct.
Gemma argues that effective reporting pathways begin long before someone raises a concern. Employees need clarity on how reporting works, confidence that concerns will be handled fairly and visible evidence that speaking up leads to meaningful action.
"It’s not about taking things from ‘no process’ to ‘process’, but instead, from process to prevention."
The article also explores why this shift is becoming increasingly important ahead of the new duty under the Employment Rights Act coming into force in October 2026. Organisations will need to demonstrate that they have taken all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, making trusted reporting pathways, psychological safety and proactive culture management more important than ever.
Alongside practical guidance for HR teams, Gemma highlights the opportunity organisations have to use reporting data more strategically. Rather than treating reports as isolated incidents, businesses should look for patterns, identify emerging risks and use those insights to prevent issues before they escalate.
Read Gemma's full article in HRZone to learn how organisations can build trust in their reporting processes, strengthen speak up culture and move from reacting to misconduct to preventing it.
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What we're reading
Latest insights from the front lines of workplace culture.
How to Build Trust in Workplace Misconduct Reporting
In a recent article for HRZone, Gemma McCall explores why organisations need to stop viewing workplace misconduct as a reporting problem and start addressing the trust issues that prevent people from speaking up in the first place.
Why Whistleblowing Protections Are Not Enough
The launch of the CIISA standards marked a significant moment for the creative industries, signalling growing recognition of the need for stronger protections around bullying, harassment and misconduct across film, television and wider media environments. But in a recent article for Broadcast Now, we highlight that whistleblowing protections alone will not solve the deeper cultural issues that have allowed harmful behaviour to persist for years.
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Speaking Up in the Creative Industries – Embedding Standards in Practice
With the CIISA Standards having been in place for a year and with the introduction of the Employment Rights Act, expectations around creating a healthy and effective speak up culture are shifting. Organisations being asked to move beyond policy and demonstrate how they are creating real, effective speak-up cultures.
Feeling inspired?
Take the first step toward preventative misconduct management with a demo of our Report + Support™ platform. We can show you how to breakdown reporting barriers with anonymous 2-way messaging, and how to act before things escalate with name-matching and pattern-spotting across our analytics dashboard.
