How to help employees understand your whistleblowing policy

Give employees more confidence to make a report by providing them with as much relevant information as possible about how your whistleblowing process works. Create a whistleblowing policy and guide them from what happens before they make a report all the way to what happens if the case goes to an investigation.

Help employees understand your policy on whistleblowing

There is a lot you can tell your workforce when it comes to explaining how your whistleblowing policy works. There is also a lot that can be missed out. Either way could lead to a lack of understanding and consequently low levels of disclosures.

Providing clear and relevant details not only achieves a better understanding, it also gives people the confidence to make a report and put trust in your organisation.

Before you start with communicating your policy, it also helps to explain the advantages of whistleblowing to employees, so they get a bigger picture of why it’s important to disclose information, not only to the company but for society as a whole.

Below we guide you on what’s useful to communicate.

Provide details on how the policy works

Here are the top level items to include:

• Explain what whistleblowing systems they are for disclosing information in your organisation.
• Describe where and how they access these systems.
• Detail how they remain anonymous throughout the whole process.
• Provide examples of the type of information needed for a report.
• Let them know who receives and handles the reports.
• Talk through what happens after a report is received and the subsequent follow-up procedure.
• Provide timeframes for handling, and feedback, of the cases.
• Remember to state what happens when the investigation ends.

Don’t forget that this information isn’t only for current employees. You should make your whistleblowing policy and the process for raising concerns accessible to all stakeholders involved with your organisation.

You can read more tips for creating a great whistleblower policy here.

Would you like to learn more about a whistleblowing service and safe internal reporting channels? Read more about the EU Whistleblowing Directive here and at EUR-Lex.

Are you looking for a safe and secure whistleblowing solution? Read more about Whistlelink’s all-in-one system here or book a free demo!