Whistleblowing

[Speedy]

What do people think about whistleblowing?

Is it acceptable to report someone who is always leaving early? Or stealing?

Would it be more acceptable if this person is "spoiling it" for everyone else? e.g. cancelling flexitime.

It's quite interesting, I've been reading about it for uni.

[Peevemor]

I've heard that professional referees are the worst for it. :agree:

[rainman]

No one likes a clipe.

[Steve-O]

No one likes a clipe.

Indeed.

I'd go home and moan my erse off about things at work, but when it came to actually reporting someone for something, I wouldn't do it (unless in absolutely extreme circumstances, or I myself was getting the blame for something!).

[matty_f]

No one likes a clipe.

No offence, as I know your post was probably tongue in cheek, but that statement for me pretty much sums up what's wrong with society these days.

Nobody likes a clipe, but hey, let's not say anything about the jokers who make life difficult for everyone else.:bitchy:

It really, really gets my back up when someone gets caught doing something and they make the person that caught them out to be the bad guy. It's not just in work, but society in general. The attitude that folk shouldn't say anything about it just makes the bad behaviours acceptable, and that's wrong IMHO.

My stance is that I'll challenge the person and tell them to stop first, and if they don't take heed from that then hell mend them. I'm fortunate that in my work I'm in a position where I can do something about it without having to necessarily escalate it.

[Lucius Apuleius]

Totally depends on the circumstances. My main one is our alcohol policy. Peopke breaking it have a quiet word in the ear, second time they break it, the boss gets told and they usually get put on a plane out.I am not having bars shut down and my ability to have a beer compromised by some iodiot who cannot control their acohol intake.

[MyJo]

if it is something that is going to impact on others and result in a whole team getting in trouble or losing out on benefits etc then the best thing to do is report your concerns and let management sort it out.

However i've seen it from both sides in the last few years with a daft bint in my previous job trying to get me in trouble at every opportunity and telling my manager every time i've used the internet or took a wee bit longer on lunch than i should have and so on which was absolutely pathetic and incredibly frustrating considering i was still the best performing member of the team.

There is also a woman i work with now who seems to take great delight in catching people sending a sly text on thier phone or spending too long chatting with thier pals and dobbing them in to thier managers, she has done it to 3 people in my team and each time i wasn't actually bothered about what they were doing but because she had noticed it and reported it to me i had to be seen to follow up on it and tell these people off for something ridiculously trivial that wasn't having an impact on me, the team or the individuals performance.

[Steve-O]

if it is something that is going to impact on others and result in a whole team getting in trouble or losing out on benefits etc then the best thing to do is report your concerns and let management sort it out.

However i've seen it from both sides in the last few years with a daft bint in my previous job trying to get me in trouble at every opportunity and telling my manager every time i've used the internet or took a wee bit longer on lunch than i should have and so on which was absolutely pathetic and incredibly frustrating considering i was still the best performing member of the team.

There is also a woman i work with now who seems to take great delight in catching people sending a sly text on thier phone or spending too long chatting with thier pals and dobbing them in to thier managers, she has done it to 3 people in my team and each time i wasn't actually bothered about what they were doing but because she had noticed it and reported it to me i had to be seen to follow up on it and tell these people off for something ridiculously trivial that wasn't having an impact on me, the team or the individuals performance.

Yes I hate this.

I had an old manager at work who wasn't actually my manager but she 'caught' me sending an e-mail to another member of staff (shocking I know) and duly told my manager. Next thing me and the colleague are taken out of the office and asked about e-mailing each other!

Would they prefer people to leave their desks and have a conversation with the other person instead, or is all conversation banned in some offices?

[lyonhibs]

Totally depends on the circumstances. My main one is our alcohol policy. Peopke breaking it have a quiet word in the ear, second time they break it, the boss gets told and they usually get put on a plane out.I am not having bars shut down and my ability to have a beer compromised by some iodiot who cannot control their acohol intake.

The spelling mistakes in that last sentence would appear to back up your point to the hilt :greengrin

Frankly, if someone was flagrantly breaking the rules AND it was negatively affecting my work in terms of unfair workload increase, then I wouldn't hesitate to go through the proper channels if, as MF mentions, a quiet word in their ear hadn't worked.

Case in point, a colleague at my work is - frankly - useless at their job, as their favourite tactic is to arrange a call-back to the customer "when they've found out the answer" to their query. Problem being that said colleague doesn't do this, and so, several days later, me or one of my other colleagues gets the customer who is justifiably irate at the fact that he/she never received a call-back, we have to deal with someone else's mistake, and I don't get paid enough to go about dealing with other folks errors.

As yet, I haven't done anything about it, as I had a "quiet word" a week or two ago and haven't had a reoccurence - so far!

[hibsdaft]

depends on:

-what it is they've done
-their circumstances eg could be they're just taking the piss, or it could be they have a relative on deaths door and need to cut a few corners to tend to that
-the mentality, decency and ability of management
-your relationship with them

if possible its usually better to speak to someone yourself and warn them their behaviour has not gone unnoticed than risk getting someone the sack when you don't know the full circumstances - even if it doesn't make you too popular with them.

imagine you got someone who had just been cutting corners to deal with a family death sacked by an imbecile kneejerk manager (they do exist). don't think i could live with that.

[matty_f]

if it is something that is going to impact on others and result in a whole team getting in trouble or losing out on benefits etc then the best thing to do is report your concerns and let management sort it out.

However i've seen it from both sides in the last few years with a daft bint in my previous job trying to get me in trouble at every opportunity and telling my manager every time i've used the internet or took a wee bit longer on lunch than i should have and so on which was absolutely pathetic and incredibly frustrating considering i was still the best performing member of the team.

There is also a woman i work with now who seems to take great delight in catching people sending a sly text on thier phone or spending too long chatting with thier pals and dobbing them in to thier managers, she has done it to 3 people in my team and each time i wasn't actually bothered about what they were doing but because she had noticed it and reported it to me i had to be seen to follow up on it and tell these people off for something ridiculously trivial that wasn't having an impact on me, the team or the individuals performance.

Totally agree with that - there needs to be a common sense approach to things as well.

[Andy74]

What do people think about whistleblowing?

Is it acceptable to report someone who is always leaving early? Or stealing?

Would it be more acceptable if this person is "spoiling it" for everyone else? e.g. cancelling flexitime.

It's quite interesting, I've been reading about it for uni.

Mt idea of whisteloblowing is more to do with practices or actions that have a serious effect on the company, the law, the publi interest etc etc, not cliping on colleagues!

Best way to deal with that is confronting them if it really bothers you.

If it's a really serious issue then escalate it, but I wouldn't class that as whistleblowing.

[Danderhall Hibs]

Mt idea of whisteloblowing is more to do with practices or actions that have a serious effect on the company, the law, the publi interest etc etc, not cliping on colleagues!

Best way to deal with that is confronting them if it really bothers you.

If it's a really serious issue then escalate it, but I wouldn't class that as whistleblowing.

:agree: The examples being spoken about aren't "whistleblowing" - it's just grassing and/or office politics.

[Ed De Gramo]

If it came to the point where everybody got punished...I'd be into the managers office with a fictitious name...:agree:

[lyonhibs]

If it came to the point where everybody got punished...I'd be into the managers office with a fictitious name...:agree:

Errr yes, because dandering up claiming that a "John Smith" was the perpetrator of whatever error/breach of contract was causing the problem would be a watertight policy, especially as the complaints procedure of any given company wouldn't (hoping the sarcasm here is explicit here :greengrin) require them to verify employee details with the HR department and inform the accused of his/her rights and the relevant procedures before continuing with the compaint.

All of which would be a tad tricky if you'd just lodged a complaint against a "fictitious name"..................... :rolleyes:

Sometimes I wonder..........................:faf::duck:

[Danderhall Hibs]

Errr yes, because dandering up claiming that a "John Smith" was the perpetrator of whatever error/breach of contract was causing the problem would be a watertight policy, especially as the complaints procedure of any given company wouldn't (hoping the sarcasm here is explicit here :greengrin) require them to verify employee details with the HR department and inform the accused of his/her rights and the relevant procedures before continuing with the compaint.

All of which would be a tad tricky if you'd just lodged a complaint against a "fictitious name"..................... :rolleyes:

Sometimes I wonder..........................:faf::duck:

I don't think even G can be that stupid mate. Can he?

More likely that he's meaning he'll grass but ask to remain anonymous.

[Ed De Gramo]

Errr yes, because dandering up claiming that a "John Smith" was the perpetrator of whatever error/breach of contract was causing the problem would be a watertight policy, especially as the complaints procedure of any given company wouldn't (hoping the sarcasm here is explicit here :greengrin) require them to verify employee details with the HR department and inform the accused of his/her rights and the relevant procedures before continuing with the compaint.

All of which would be a tad tricky if you'd just lodged a complaint against a "fictitious name"..................... :rolleyes:

Sometimes I wonder..........................:faf::duck:

WTF?

As in...I adopt a fictitious name to prevent it be knowing that I grassed the person up :bye::bye:

[Woody1985]

:faf:

I thought the same as Lyon but reading it again I can see what you mean now that you've said what you meant to write. :greengrin

It's still a rather ***** excuse unless none of your management know who you are.

[lyonhibs]

Oh I see.

Much better then - assume that no-one in the management team of your office knows what your voice sounds like, or knows your face, and then adopt a made up name (which they would then run through the company's systems to see if your "nom de plume" actually existed) to avoid taking any flak for your actions.

Spiffing - :confused:

[lyonhibs]

I don't think even G can be that stupid mate. Can he?

More likely that he's meaning he'll grass but ask to remain anonymous.

Remaining anonymous and submitting a fictious name are not one and the same thing, unless I'm much mistaken.

One is probably complying with company procedure - i.e. that they will keep your identity under wraps if your complaint turns out to be verifiable and is taken further - and the other is rocking up to your Managers office and trying to pass yourself as "Random McJoeBob" whilst submitting an initial - and as far as management are concerned, unprovable - complaint against a colleague.

[Speedy]

:agree: The examples being spoken about aren't "whistleblowing" - it's just grassing and/or office politics.


I thought it applied to both but I have since been corrected :doh:

[ArabHibee]

Even though whistleblowing is now normally part of a company's procedures and/or staff handbook, try doing it and see if you're not discriminated against.

[Woody1985]

Even though whistleblowing is now normally part of a company's procedures and/or staff handbook, try doing it and see if you're not discriminated against.

You could always try it with your alter ago and ficticious name and join in the discrimination against it...erm..you... :confused:

[lyonhibs]

You could always try it with your alter ago and ficticious name and join in the discrimination against it...erm..you... :confused:

:faf:

<Employee enters wearing Scooby Doo mask>

"Excuse me boss. My name is, errrrr, Rip Van Goldwinkle, and I'd like to report a recurring breach of contract against <insert real name here>. He's being selling company secrets to the Ayrshire Press and Journal, which could jeopardise our market-leading position.

What are the company procedures in this case??"

Boss "But we sell garden gnomes in Herfordshire, what the f*** are you on about??"

"Errrr - To infinity and Beyond!!!! Geronimo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Doesn't really stand up to closer scrutiny does it??

Though clearly that example was somewhat OTT :greengrin

[ArabHibee]

You could always try it with your alter ago and ficticious name and join in the discrimination against it...erm..you... :confused:
:greengrin I did actually do it anonymously and it wasn't against an individual, it was against the company as that is what whistleblowing is. And I did have to sit in a few meetings when senior management were raging on about it, saying "If I found out who grassed us up" etc, etc.

Not nice but would I do it again? Definitely.

[Woody1985]

:faf:

<Employee enters wearing Scooby Doo mask>

"Excuse me boss. My name is, errrrr, Rip Van Goldwinkle, and I'd like to report a recurring breach of contract against <insert real name here>. He's being selling company secrets to the Ayrshire Press and Journal, which could jeopardise our market-leading position.

What are the company procedures in this case??"

Boss "But we sell garden gnomes in Herfordshire, what the f*** are you on about??"

"Errrr - To infinity and Beyond!!!! Geronimo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Doesn't really stand up to closer scrutiny does it??

Though clearly that example was somewhat OTT :greengrin

:faf:



:greengrin I did actually do it anonymously and it wasn't against an individual, it was against the company as that is what whistleblowing is. And I did have to sit in a few meetings when senior management were raging on about it, saying "If I found out who grassed us up" etc, etc.

Not nice but would I do it again? Definitely.

I can't imagine what it must be like putting yourself in that postion but if they are deliberately acting badly toward processes, customers, regulations etc then it's probably best.

In the long run could their malpractice (is that the right word) jeopordise the company and all of the staff they employ. Definitely the right thing to do.

[Steve-O]

Fictitious name idea = :faf::faf:

[the_ginger_hibee]

Even though whistleblowing is now normally part of a company's procedures and/or staff handbook, try doing it and see if you're not discriminated against.

Grass.

[Phil D. Rolls]

In some jobs, the consequence of seeing wrong happening and not blowing the whistle is that you will be deemed to be one of the wrong doers - whether you were involved or not.

You would think then that anyone coming forward and reporting wrong doing would be treated properly by those in charge. Consider this (possibly) true story:

A nurse was working in a ward where the Charge Nurse (boss) did the following things: got other staff to sign off her weekend working when she was sitting at home; authorised a relative of hers to redecorate the ward, contrary to NHS board protocol; decided that the TV given by the relatives of a dementia sufferer would be better used in her daughter's house.

Faced with this dilemma the nurse in question reported the wrongdoing to NHS management. The charge nurse was suspended pending enquiries, and two other staff nurses were paid to act up. (These two were indicted in the allegations as they had signed off the charge nurse's shifts).

Following a lengthy enquiry, no disciplinary action was taken against anyone, but the senior charge nurse left the NHS soon after (coincidence I'm sure). The two (now seemingly innocent) staff nurses were promoted to charge nurses and the whistleblower was shunted roud various hospitals as it was not possible to work on the ward any more.

My feeling is that when you blow the whistle, you indicting more than the offender. Their manager is also culpable for their misdemeanours as they have probably turned a blind eye. In short you are taking on the whole organisation.

My advice is get yourself as far from wrongdoing as you can, you will be thanked by no one for pointing out what they should already know, and you will be called a clipe the rest of your days. All because you did what others couldn't and stand up for what's right.

[ArabHibee]

:faf:




I can't imagine what it must be like putting yourself in that postion but if they are deliberately acting badly toward processes, customers, regulations etc then it's probably best.

In the long run could their malpractice (is that the right word) jeopordise the company and all of the staff they employ. Definitely the right thing to do.


Grass.

If I hadn't done it, it could have been :shotdowni burn baby burn and a massive fine/lawsuit for the company.

[Moulin Yarns]

I did a bit of whistleblowing a while ago, and ended up with a disciplinary hearing and a final written warning on record for 18 months.

I got my own back as I created plans for our call centre to show who has reponsibilty for different areas. The person is not happy as I have shown to everybody that he is responsible for only 20% of the area, and his assistant is responsible for the other 80% :greengrin

EDIT: I did it just before leaving to a different post

[Hibrandenburg]

Have a word and providing you have a genuine concern then snitch on the barstewards.

What I do hate are the professional snitchers who go running to their boss in the hope that they can profit from it somehow.