Taking Action on Anonymous Reports
Providing anonymous reporting routes for people to raise concerns about harmful behaviour can be daunting. Organisations frequently ask us how to manage anonymous reporting, and what action can be taken. Anonymous speak up channels are an important way to surface concerns that people may not feel safe to share with their contact details. How you respond to reports has an impact on people’s confidence and trust in your speak up processes as a whole. This training will address common concerns around anonymous reporting, and will support you to be able to take action in response to anonymous reports in order to build the trust and confidence of your people.
By the end of this session, participants will:
Understand what anonymous reporting is and why it is crucial to building trust and a speak up culture at your organisation
Be able to determine what actions can and should be taken in response to an anonymous report of harmful behaviour
Have practical knowledge on the risks that exist with anonymous reporting and how to manage these risks effectively
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Trusted by, quite literally, millions of employees.
About this course
About this course
This interactive training course is designed for staff responsible for responding to reports of harmful behaviour using the Report + Support™ platform, including case workers, HR professionals, student services teams, safeguarding staff, and workplace investigators. For organisations not using the Report + Support™ platform, we include bespoke information about existing reporting mechanisms.
This course will support you to build your organisation’s confidence in your anonymous reporting channel, addressing any concerns you may have around risks and improving how you respond to any anonymous reports of harmful behaviour that you receive.
Delivered in a practical, discussion-led format, the training helps participants to develop confidence in handling sensitive reports, applying trauma-informed principles, and managing cases consistently in line with organisational expectations.
What the session covers
- Understanding anonymous reporting- What is anonymous reporting and why is it crucial to developing trust in your organisation
- Addressing concerns around anonymous reporting- Explore some of the common concerns and myths around anonymous reporting, and address these concerns with practical solutions and risk management techniques
- Deciding what action(s) to take- A framework of questions to ask when you receive an anonymous report, to allow you to determine what action(s) could be taken and what action you will take
- Taking action(s)- Explore how to take action on individual anonymous reports, without compromising the anonymity or safety of the anonymous reporter
- Using data insights- How your anonymous reporting data can inform strategic change and build trust in your organisation
- Trauma-informed two-way messaging- Build knowledge around our two-way messaging feature and how it can be used to communicate with and support anonymous reporters effectively
Talk to us about training for your organisation
If you want to strengthen how your organisation responds to reports of harmful behaviours, we can help. Get in touch to discuss tailored responder training designed around your policies, processes and your reporting culture.
Why responder training matters
The way organisations respond to reports of harmful behaviour has a direct impact on:
- Whether people feel safe enough to report concerns
- Confidence in organisational reporting processes
- The consistency and quality of case handling
- Trust in leadership, HR and support teams
- Organisational culture and risk management
A poor response process can undermine trust and discourage future reporting. A consistent, trauma-informed approach helps organisations build safer cultures where concerns are handled fairly, appropriately, and with confidence.
Understand anonymous reporting's role in trust
Know how to act on reports
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"They took the time to understand our requirements for navigating the new legislation on sexual harassment, designing a solution that has enabled us to ensure as a business, we can equip our people to mitigate unacceptable behaviours in the workplace effectively, and create an environment where everyone can feel safe, be themselves and thrive."
"The session was thought-provoking and tailored to include real world scenarios that resonated with our employees and the unique environments they work within. Culture Shift creates a non-judgemental learning environment."
"Culture Shift have consistently delivered to a high standard. Charlotte’s facilitation has been engaging and impactful across both virtual and in-person sessions. The practical tools provided support our people in raising awareness and to confidently address any issues relating to unacceptable behaviours in the workplace, enabling a zero tolerance culture."
"After completing this training with our Senior Leadership team, I have new ideas on how we can prevent sexual harassment of our employees, from the recruitment process through to exit interview."
What our customers say
Hear how teams are creating safer, more open workplaces by giving people the confidence to speak up - and the tools to act when it matters most.
"We were seeing trends that we were able to push up into committee structures and say - 'We know where our problems are. We know what our resourcing needs to look like.'"
"Report + Support™ has been an instrumental tool for us in terms of addressing barriers to reporting unwanted behaviours, as well as monitoring trends and collecting data insights to inform our preventative and response strategies."
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Our Training Team
Culture Shift's Training Academy is delivered by a team of specialist trainers based across the country, each bringing direct experience in preventing bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct at work. Every trainer combines deep subject matter expertise with practical facilitation skills, designing and delivering programmes that go beyond box-ticking to genuinely change how managers and staff respond to concerns. Because our trainers are based nationwide, we can deliver sessions in person at your organisation, wherever you're located, bringing the same consistent standard of training to every session.
Enquire about this course
FAQs
Questions about Speaking Up Training? We've got answers.
Anonymous reporting allows people to raise concerns about harmful behaviour without sharing their identity. It is a crucial tool for building trust and a genuine speak up culture, particularly for those who would not otherwise feel safe coming forward.
Organisations can respond to an anonymous report by working through a structured framework of questions to determine what action is possible and appropriate. This includes investigating the concern where feasible, identifying patterns through data, and using two-way messaging to communicate with the reporter without compromising their anonymity or safety.
The main risks associated with anonymous reporting include difficulty verifying claims and limited ability to follow up directly with the reporter. These risks can be managed through practical processes such as trauma-informed two-way messaging, clear decision-making frameworks for responders, and using reporting data to inform wider organisational action.
This training is designed for staff who respond to reports of harmful behaviour, including case workers, HR professionals, student services teams, safeguarding staff, and workplace investigators. It runs for 90 minutes and can be delivered virtually or in person.
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