Whistleblower: Speaking Truth to Power or Toxic Corporate Culture?
According to George Kerevan, the etymological origins of whistleblowing are obscure. Yet even without knowing the term's origin, we get a vivid picture from the word themselves. Kerevan suggests the obvious one—a police officer blowing a whistle when they catch a crime in progress. In other words, whistleblowing means calling attention to wrongdoing within an organization.
Seems harmless and even a positive thing, right? Unfortunately, whistleblowing is often seen as a hostile act and can lead to ostracism.
Hannah Alejandro, a Washington, D.C. attorney who advocates for the rights of individuals in the workplace, has written that "whistleblowers are often motivated by their sense of integrity and a genuine desire to protect the public." And this is primarily the reason why employees avoid being the whistleblower, despite seeing various proof of workplace wrongdoings.
Another reason people don't speak up is a significant risk. Research shows that challenging the status quo threatens people's status and relationships with supervisors and coworkers. Speaking up can also result in negative performance evaluation, undesirable job assignments, or even termination. Most people are aware of these potential costs; as a result, most stay quiet about bias, injustice, and mistreatment.
Then there is the bystander effect: When a person is in trouble, others who are present often fail to intervene, whether because they assume other people will or because they think it's not their place to act. The more costly intervening would be, the less likely we are to do so.
But workplace abuse and toxicity is a societal problem, and it shouldn't take negative publicity to enact change and improve lives. That's why colleagues who expose workplace abusers need to be applauded. They show the rest of us what it looks like to know your worth. Right now, we are observing an increase in the willingness of employees to speak up. It doesn't mean more crimes are being committed in the workplace, just that people are more courageous in speaking the truth to power against abuse and wrongdoings.
A 2018 study in NAVEX Global revealed two significant findings: First, whistleblowers are crucial to keeping firms healthy. The average manager seems to take these reports seriously and uses them to learn about and address issues early before they evolve into larger, more costly problems. We also found that, on average, second-hand reports are more credible and valuable than firsthand reports.
Workplace whistleblowers seem to understand that a psychologically stable workplace is — and should be — a basic professional dignity. To achieve that, a strong sense of professional boundaries is vital. Know where you draw the line, and do not compromise yourself. Learn when to say no, how to say no and how not to turn back. It's also important to be clear about what you expect from colleagues and what they can expect from you. Clarifying boundaries and expectations will help keep things objective and less emotional.
Perhaps this sounds easier said than done. But humane treatment in the workplace must be a baseline requirement. And those who fail at meeting it — no matter their position, age, experience,, or professional reputation — should be held to account.
Whistleblowing is an essential part of building a positive corporate culture because it represents a person's understanding, at a deep level, that an action his or her organization is taking is damaging—that it impedes people's rights or is unfair or detracts from the common good. Whistleblowing also calls upon the virtues, especially courage, as standing up for principles can be a punishing experience. In the words of motivational speaker Tony Gaskin: "You teach people how to treat you by what you allow, what you stop, and what you reinforce."
Source:
- Gino, F. (2018). Why It’s So Hard to Speak Up Against a Toxic Culture. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2018/05/why-its-so-hard-to-speak-up-against-a-toxic-culture
- Nadler, J., & Schulman, M. (2015). Whistle Blowing in the Public Sector. Retrieved from https://www.scu.edu/government-ethics/resources/what-is-government-ethics/whistle-blowing-in-the-public-sector/
- Welch, K., & Stubben, S. (2020). Throw Out Your Assumptions About Whistleblowing. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2020/01/throw-out-your-assumptions-about-whistleblowing
- Wyman, C. (2021). OPINION: Why Toxic Workplace Whistleblowers Should Be Applauded. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2021/04/08/opinion-why-toxic-workplace-whistleblowers-should-be-applauded/?sh=61aed2ba34f4