This site uses cookies to improve your experience. To help us insure we adhere to various privacy regulations, please select your country/region of residence. If you do not select a country, we will assume you are from the United States. Select your Cookie Settings or view our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Used for the proper function of the website
Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Strictly Necessary: Used for the proper function of the website
Performance/Analytics: Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Written by Tim Martin, WorkInConfidence What is a Whistleblower? The term Whistleblower” actually dates back to the 19th century when policeman used whistles to alert citizens about riots. But the word gained its modern meaning in the 1960s when journalists began to use it to refer to people who revealed wrongdoing. (*Source Anyday Guide). “Whistleblower” might sound a bit dramatic, but at its core, it’s simply someone who speaks up when something is wrong.
Written by Tim Martin, WorkInConfidence What is a Whistleblower? The term Whistleblower” actually dates back to the 19th century when policeman used whistles to alert citizens about riots. But the word gained its modern meaning in the 1960s when journalists began to use it to refer to people who revealed wrongdoing. (*Source Anyday Guide). “Whistleblower” might sound a bit dramatic, but at its core, it’s simply someone who speaks up when something is wrong.
Written by David Warren, WorkInConfidence What toxic behaviours bring to a workplace. We hear it all the time: “Our workplace is toxic.” It’s a phrase that carries weight, but is it always accurate? Labelling an entire organisation as toxic can be disheartening, but often, the reality is more nuanced. A handful of toxic individuals can create an outsized impact, making it feel like the whole culture is problematiceven when it isnt.
The Impact of Gender Bias and Discrimination in the Workplace Gender bias and discrimination continue to hinder workplace equality, limiting opportunities for women and preventing organisations from reaching their full potential. Many women in the UK face systemic challenges, including pay gaps, under-representation in leadership, and unconscious biases that affect hiring, promotion, and everyday workplace interactions.
Written by: David Warren, WorkInConfidence Psychological phenomenon knows as the Bystander Effect In 1964, the tragic case of Kitty Genovese , who was attacked while numerous witnesses reportedly did nothing, brought attention to a psychological phenomenon known as the Bystander Effect. This effect suggests that individuals are less likely to offer help in an emergency when others are present, often due to a diffusion of responsibility.
Extent of poor workplace wellness Poor wellness in the workplace is a significant issue at present in the UK, impacting both individuals and their organisations. Let’s look at what that looks like and to what extent: 60% of Adults in the UK report experiencing stress, anxiety or depression at some point according to the Mental Health Foundation.
EHRC essential guidance to help create safer workplaces The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has introduced essential guidance to help employers create safer, more inclusive workplaces by preventing sexual harassment. This initiative aligns with employers’ legal responsibility under the Preventative Duty to proactively protect employees, marking a critical shift from reactive to preventative measures.
What is workplace bullying? Workplace bullying; what is it? What it costs and how to stop it. Spoiler: It costs UK businesses £Billions. You really need to tackle it! Anti-bullying month November is Anti Bullying Month. Whilst the month is primarily focused on the Education sector, it is also a good time to look at bullying in the workplace. It’s worth recapping that in the UK, the Worker Protection Act was introduced in October 2024 and places greater onus on organisations to ensure the
Listening is good for business Every October in the NHS, the National Guardian’s Office run a speaking up campaign to promote the importance of employee voice and speaking up. This year’s theme is #ListenUp. The message of listening up however, goes far and beyond the NHS and every organisation should see the importance of listening to their people.
The scale of the problem The UK, like many parts of the World, has a clear current problem with workplace wellness. This is both in terms of physical sickness and poor mental health. Mental health challenges account for over half of work-related illnesses. An estimated 51% of long-term sickness absence relates to stress, depression, or anxiety. UK Employees report significantly increased pressure at work with 55% feeling work is getting more demanding and 61% feeling exhausted at the end of mos
Workers Protection (Amendment to Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 From October 2024 all UK employers must ensure they comply with a legal duty to take ‘reasonable steps’ aiming to prevent sexual harassment of employees – this comes with the passing of the Worker Protection (Amendment to Equality Act 2010) Act 2023. How does this affect your organisation?
Whistleblowing has a bad name All too often whistleblowing is seen in a negative light. According to www.gov.uk/whistleblowing “You’re a whistleblower if you’re a worker and you report certain types of wrongdoing. This will usually be something you’ve seen at work – though not always” Then it begins to become slightly confusing: “The wrongdoing you disclose must be in the public interest.
Bullying and sexual harassment claims in the headlines Most of the organisations in these headlines would have said they didn’t have a problem with their culture. It’s one of the most common comments we hear. ” Yes there are problems in the sector – but not here!” Every single day we see coverage like the above across multiple sectors, globally.
Imposed duty to safeguard employees Effective October 2024, the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 (the Act) will impose fresh obligations and duties on employers. This change is due to the current law being deemed inadequate in preventing sexual harassment in the workplace, leading the government to enforce a more assertive duty on employers for safeguarding employees from such incidents.
Mental health awareness In today’s fast-paced and competitive business world, the focus is often on productivity, profit margins and growth. However, what can, and often does get overlooked is the mental health and wellbeing of employees. Ignoring this aspect can have significant repercussions, not just for the individuals involved but also for their organisations.
THE CHALLENGE Avon and Wilshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust has approximately 4,900 staff covering a large area from Weston Super Mare to Salisbury in Wiltshire, including Bath, Bristol South and Gloucestershire. The Trust offers a variety of mental health services which are extremely complex and supports a diverse range of the population it covers.
Applying learnings to drive improvements The 2023/24 NHS Staff survey results were published in March. Over 1.4 million NHS staff in England were invited to participate in Q4 2023. With a response rate nearing 50%, the survey gives a good insight into the NHS staff experiences. Across several areas things appear to be nudging in the right direction, showing an overall improvement in staff experience and staff engagement.
EDI - Is it worth it? I am not prone to screaming, but If I have to read another comment or article on how much various organisations spend on EDI Officers or programmes, I think I will. It’s become fashionable to look at the costs of EDI programmes and band some numbers around, as if it’s money being burnt. Organisations like the MOD, NHS and Local Authorities collectively spend many £ millions a year on EDI – including dedicated professionals to advise and train leadership and manageme
Inspire Inclusion Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #InspireInclusion International Women’s Day 2024 Gender inequality There is a persistent gender imbalance in the UK.
Why you should offer anonymous reporting as a speaking up channel If you make it hard for employees to give you feedback – you are ultimately sending a message that employees have no voice and leadership doesn’t want to hear it. That’s a BIG problem. Offering a secure, two-way anonymous reporting channel as an alternative route means that you can capture valuable feedback from employees who otherwise may not feel safe in raising concerns via the other methods you have in pla
Making sure everyone feels festive, but also safe With the holiday season nearly upon us, many organisations will be gearing up to host their annual Christmas party. The danger from an HR perspective is that employees are more likely to act inappropriately out of the office environment and unprofessional behaviour can lead to devasting consequences for the organisations.
Duty on employers to take reasonable steps The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 (starting 2024) will introduce a duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Compensation awards also increase by up to 25% where employers breach the duty. Ever since #MeToo highlighted it, it’s been very clear that workplace harassment is far too prevalent: Over 1 in 2 women and nearly 7 out of 10 LGBT workers are sexually harassed in th
HR's role in addressing the rise of sexual harassment Sexual harassment is a critical issue in today’s workplaces, and it’s a challenge that HR professionals must navigate with care and precision. With the rise of such allegations, HR’s role in addressing these matters has become increasingly important. In this article, we will discuss how HR professionals should handle sexual harassment allegations in the workplace, addressing not only the reactive steps to take but also proac
HR's role in addressing the rise of sexual harassment Sexual harassment is a critical issue in today’s workplaces, and it’s a challenge that HR professionals must navigate with care and precision. With the rise of such allegations, HR’s role in addressing these matters has become increasingly important. In this article, we will discuss how HR professionals should handle sexual harassment allegations in the workplace, addressing not only the reactive steps to take but also proac
Believe it or not, it’s seventeen years on from the founding of the #MeToo movement and harassment in the workplace is still all too common. The stats around this are truly dire. Implications of sexual harassment in the workplace According to TUC, sexual harassment is a threat to equal opportunities in the workplace and is unacceptable and incompatible with decent work.
Creating an inclusive workplace culture Gender stereotypes, discrimination, and bias in the workplace continue to be major issues hindering companies from achieving their full potential. These issues create negative work environments, reduce productivity and collaboration, and limit creativity and innovation. We aim to explore the challenges of equality, diversity and inclusion and provide you with tools to help your organisation create an inclusive work culture, free from bias and discriminatio
Understanding the barriers to speaking up In any organisation, communication is essential for success. However, despite the importance of speaking up, many employees are too scared to do so. Whether it’s due to fear of retaliation, embarrassment, or simply not wanting to rock the boat, this reluctance to speak up can have serious consequences for the organisation.
Understanding behaviours Human nature instinct is to protect, when it comes to speaking up these instincts kick in making some people uneasy about speaking up to protect their position, reputation and identities. Organisations can’t improve if they don’t listen to their People. Unfortunately, sometimes management don’t grasp the need or have the time to listen.
Mental health and anxiety affects everyone Mental health is an important issue that affects everyone, including those in the workplace. As a manager or employee, it’s crucial to prioritise mental health and create a supportive work environment that encourages open communication about mental health. Earlier this year, the Mental Health Foundation published research with the London School of Economics and Political Science, which put the cost of mental health problems to the UK economy at £
The Power of Employee Appreciation Recognition Updated May 2023 Let’s explore why employee appreciation recognition is so important and why you should be embedding it into the fabric of your culture. The challenges of winning employee engagement are, of course, universal. #EmployeeAppreciationDay, which is an awareness day held on the 1st Friday of March each year, is an opportunity to highlight employee appreciation, give praise and increase the trust between employee and employer.
Why is employee recognition mostly overlooked? We all know that employee recognition is crucial to productivity and the wellbeing of your employees and good organisational health. Happy employees benefits individual wellness, productivity, retention and engagement and generally leads to happy customers to. So why is it that employee recognition is so often taken for granted or completely overlooked?
The benefits of creating a speaking up culture When individuals feel comfortable sharing their ideas, concerns or feedback, it leads to improved decision-making, increased innovation, enhanced employee engagement and, a more positive, productive and happier workplace culture. The latest Gallup State of the Workplace Survey reveals on only 13% of the global workforce are engaged at work. 72% are not engaged and (quiet quitting) and 15% are actively disengaged (loud quitting).
The benefits of employee engagement surveys Organisations are increasingly recognising the importance of employee engagement. Engaged employees are not only more productive but also contribute to a positive work culture and improved business outcomes. One effective way to gauge and enhance employee engagement is through surveys. In this article, we aim to explore the reasons why you should consider running employee engagement surveys, along with guidelines on how and when to implement them for m
What does the future workplace environment look like? With the likes of Amazon in the US issuing warning letters to employees who fail to come into the office, and, ironically enough, Zoom ordering staff back to the office, we wanted to take a look at what the workplace of the future holds and what employees want. Employee listening is key to getting the right balance One constant is that listening to your staff is key to understanding and helping you build highly engaged teams.
Getting speaking up right The NHS has made huge steps forwards in speaking up since the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust enquiry and the Francis Report which followed it. In the wake of which, the National Guardian’s Office, Freedom to Speak Up system and Freedom to Speak Up Guardians were established and have made a huge contribution to speaking up in the NHS.
We organize all of the trending information in your field so you don't have to. Join 5,000+ users and stay up to date on the latest articles your peers are reading.
You know about us, now we want to get to know you!
Let's personalize your content
Let's get even more personalized
We recognize your account from another site in our network, please click 'Send Email' below to continue with verifying your account and setting a password.
Let's personalize your content