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Steps to make a whistleblower program effectively anonymous
21 Nov 2022
The most important aspect of an effective whistleblowing scheme is that it remains anonymous. Whistleblowers have been observed to detect corruption more effectively than internal audits or external investigations. But how can you assure your staff that their identity will be anonymous? You can claim that the whistleblower programme is anonymous, but many workers will want to see and experience it before trusting it.
Your government can also order your whistleblower programme to be anonymous, depending on where you reside. Organizations that do not take anonymity seriously or knowingly reveal whistleblowers may face severe penalties.
In this article, we will give you steps to ensure that the whistleblower programme is completely anonymous.
Communicating about the emphasis on "anonymous "in the Whistleblower program
Many organisations announce the establishment of a whistleblower policy and term it to be"anonymous," without even showcasing how the whistleblower program will ensure secrecy. Consequently, employees set a high threshold for the organisation to have faith in the whistleblower policy.
Rather than stating "It's anonymous," give a summary of what you've done to secure the privacy of a whistleblower. Show them every measure you've taken, from the technologies you use to the policies you've put in place, as well as how you handle reports. Demonstrate how you can secure and inspire "courageous talks." Hearing the message from the supervisors will provide more faith in the program's anonymity. Faith leads to more information, and more information helps to find the organization's weak spots.
Building confidence in the employees for filing a report
The first level of communication is to carry forward the whistleblower program to all employees. After getting an anonymous report from an employee, you must look into the existing communication and its impact on the aggrieved employee. You want them to feel confident about speaking up by providing protection to them and keeping their identity anonymous.
The second layer of communication is what a whistleblower reads as they make their way through filing a complaint. Reinforce that you can defend their identity at every step of the process. This can be implemented on the whistleblower policy website or wherever employees file a complaint. Case management should also communicate this when they begin interacting with the whistleblower.
Building a whistleblower platform to protect whistleblower's identity
Whistleblowing has now shifted digital. It would be best to consider using the appropriate technologies to ensure that your whistleblower programme is entirely anonymous. Just using an email address or Google forms will not provide you with the required degree of anonymity. Depending on the countries in which you work, this may expose you to heightened risk.
The two-way anonymous communication should be provided on the whistleblowing portal. Data such as location, IP address or job information should not be included. Furthermore, it should not request an employee's corporate username and password for filing a report.
Employees, especially Generation Y and Generation Z, often feel more anonymous when filing a report through their mobile phone. Having a whistleblowing mechanism with an app or mobile-friendly portal would encourage further reporting, and it becomes easier to access it outside of the office. The website will also serve to strengthen the current communication on ensuring the anonymity of whistleblowers. As a third party, it should explain the steps taken to facilitate two-way anonymous communication while protecting the whistleblower's privacy.
Framing questions for the Whistleblower
Many companies tend to ask detailed questions to anonymous whistleblowers. Typically, they want as much detail as possible upfront. However, it is vital to examine these questions from the perspective of the whistleblower. In their minds, they are wondering, "Does answering these questions will expose their identity?"
Location is an appropriate example. It is reasonable to inquire about an employee's country of origin if the organisation employs hundreds of people in that country. However, it's not the same if the nation has 10-20 employees. Consider the impact of each question when you create questionnaires for the whistleblower programme. What seems to be a simple question can cause an employee to be afraid of being identified.
The best practice is to consider the first whistleblower report to be "the beginning of the conversation." In the initial questionnaire, ask the questions you need to clarify the situation. Then, through two-way anonymous communication, build confidence and start asking questions. And, always look at the questionnaire from the perspective of a whistleblower, asking yourself, "If I were a whistleblower, would I respond to these questions?"
Reinforcing the anonymity of the whistleblower program after engagement with the whistleblowers
When you begin communicating with a whistleblower, make it clear that you are determined to protect their identity. If they are anonymous, do not attempt to identify them. Instead, look into the issues raised by them. If they disclose their identity, keep it safe and only share it with those who need to know.
The foundation of your whistleblowing policy is based on trust. Whistleblowers think they are anonymous, and any violation of the Whistleblower policy will ruin it completely. Employees will not disclose any wrongdoing if they believe you won't protect them.
Barclays Bank is an excellent example of what can go wrong. As the organisation communicated with a whistleblower, the CEO, Jes Staley, investigated to identify the person. The regulator lambasted and fined Barclays and Mr Staley. The incident raised a doubt about the bank's whistleblower policy. Trust in the whistleblower policy is critical because it's very difficult to regain if it's gone.
Continuously communicating the "anonymity" of the Whistleblower program
Educating your staff regarding the anonymity of the whistleblower policy is a continuous process. It is a constant phase in which you must inform staff of the programme, what can be reported, and how it can be reported. As part of the onboarding of new employees, make sure you include content about the whistleblower programme. Often, organisations make the error of doing a large roll-out only to the existing employees, without educating the new employees.
The whistleblower programme gets off to a fast start, but it soon gets buried by other programmes. By informing every new employee about the whistleblower scheme, you tell them right away that you expect them to speak up.
Reinforce the programme for existing employees by maintaining consistent communication. Remind them of the whistleblower programme constantly and remind the supervisors also to mention it regularly. Maintain a clear and coherent message about the reason for the existence of the whistleblower program, what wrongdoings should be reported, and how it can be reported. Every employee should know exactly where to go and what to do if he notices any wrongdoing.
Conclusion
You must gain trust in order to succeed in your whistleblowing scheme. For whistleblowers, this belief derives from the faith that the organisation is committed to protecting their identity. To build confidence, you must communicate how you will enable them to remain anonymous and ensure they are aware of this. When organisations perform well in this context, they see a rise in reporting. Furthermore, enhanced reporting enables them to identify the risk and respond efficiently.
