Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, more of us are working remotely. Employees have been setting up workspaces in spare rooms, on dining tables and in sheds, giving a truly impressive demonstration into how businesses can adapt to survive in uncertain times.
What effects will remote working gave on whistleblowing?
Whilst plenty of businesses have extolled the benefits of remote working, there's never been a situation that has required the majority of the workforce to continue with their work whilst being away from the workplace indefinitely, and such under stressful conditions.
It's not inconceivable that such a dramatic shift in the norm and a break in the line management will see an increase in misconduct. For that reason you must consider the possible changes in mindset when it comes to Speaking-up
What does that mean? Well, any distance from the usual management structure and the day-to-day of office life is likely to have one of two consequences:
- Being outside of the workplace may create a lack of urgency when it comes to reporting wrongdoing, an 'out of sight, out of mind' mentality that could go as far as rationalising some misconduct as being a product of exceptional circumstances.
- Some employees may take the opposite view, feeling a greater sense of security due to their satellite status. Such reporting isn't always limited to current, or recent events, but the culmination of long-held suspicions, with Speaking-up coming as the result of the confidence afforded to them by distance.
Attitudes will differ between individual team members, so it's important that a company reaches out across the board.
Originally published 10th June 2020.
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