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10/04/2005
Learning Not to Fear Whistleblowers
Learning Not to Fear Whistleblowers
Speaking of the Washington Business Journal (can you tell The Daily Caveat is catching up on his offline reading?) the most recent issue features an interesting article on how from management on down, companies can learn, in their own interest, how to create an environment where blowing the whistle is a good thing. A few pointers from the WBJ:
-- MDT
- Develop a company ethics code. Highlight consequences for unethical behavior and protections for whistle-blowers.
- See and be seen. Talk with your employees. Observe what's going on for yourself. Be available to those who want to discuss sensitive issues of any nature.
- Ask questions. Lots of them. Show your interest in what your employees are doing and how they're doing. What's going especially well? Who's having a hard time?
- Listen between the lines. Sometimes, people give you the truth-whole-truth-nothing-but-the-truth answers to questions -- and sometimes they have to take a moment to frame an answer. Look for body language and hesitation and do a little more digging, maybe not in the middle of an open cubicle, if you feel it's warranted
- Make anonymous reporting available for employee complaints. It is unfortunate that allowing people to complain anonymously may mean they vindictively smear co-workers they don't like. But if employees are not yet convinced that they can bring legitimate complaints forward without fear of retaliation, they nonetheless should have some way to make their concerns known. When you get anonymous complaints, exert energy trying to figure out whether they are accurate. It should go without saying that you should not spend any energy trying to figure out who made the complaint.
- Make ethics discussions ongoing. Create forums to improve your company ethics policy, including employees at all levels. Discuss your company values, formally and informally. Set aside training time for ethics.
- Communicate. We know, we say this all the time, but it works. Tell your employees what's going on, and you give them reasons to trust you.
- Keep promises. Again, if they see that you're keeping promises, employees have reason to trust that you'll protect those who come forward about wrongdoing.
- Keep confidences. Sometimes, over some less important issue, you will be tempted not to. "Jill, Denise asked me not to discuss this with you, but she's really having a hard time working with your music on so loud." See how easy that was? Don't do it. You have just shown both Jill and Denise that you can't be trusted with the little things. How will they trust you when they think Jennifer might be cutting corners and making your products less safe?
- Take the bull by the horns. This doesn't have to apply to ethical or legal violations. If you quickly handle employees who aren't doing their jobs properly, or machines that aren't functioning properly, or other hindrances to things running smoothly, you give employees more reason to trust that you will act on information when it does come to you.
- Hire -- and promote -- people who play well with others. When people understand they're part of a team, they're better able to understand their own accountability. People are much more likely to think of "the company" as something other than themselves if they don't have positive work relationships.
- Be above reproach yourself. Be authentic in your dealings with others, and act with confidence in your own convictions. Be honest and aboveboard. Demand the same from your employees and vendors. Impressions build over time, and you need to create the impression (and reality) that it is important to you to do business lawfully and ethically.
-- MDT
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