Whistleblowing | Critical value of hotlines in helping staff 'speak up'

As a specialist in whistleblower hotline services, I have seen the positive impact that embracing a speak-up environment (and offering true reporting channel choice) can have on an organisation's culture.

In this article, I will highlight why whistleblowing hotlines are crucial to the successful implementation of an organisations’ whistleblowing policy.

The importance of choice

Offering true choice of channel is the most effective way to allow colleagues to make a report in the way which is best suited to them. Providing online channels need’ needs replacing with ‘colleagues to make a report in a way which is best suited to them, and providing online channels need not come at the cost of a top-of-the-line anonymous employee hotline service.

It is not particularly costly to include a phone hotline as part of your whistleblowing service. But the reputational and financial cost of a disclosure not being made, either because the reporter is not able to or is uncomfortable doing so via the available avenues, could be significant.