Best Practices for Protecting Whistleblowers: The Role of Leadership

The best way to avoid retaliation and external airing of employee concerns about safety or organizational integrity is to address the concerns internally in a timely and effective manner and to have a strong program to prevent and correct any retaliatory actions. Chief executives and boards of directors must take the lead in implementing a whistleblower-protection and anti-retaliation system that includes training in how to identify retaliation, carry out independent and thorough investigations, and, as necessary, undertake corrective actions. Creating a non-retaliatory environment avoids external legal and public relations risks, and improves employee satisfaction and involvement. There are business leaders whose experience shows that organizational effectiveness and profitability improve when these whistleblower protection actions are put in place. To gain these benefits, organizations need to move from defense and reaction to proactive programs to hear and resolve issues and to otherwise prevent retaliation.

The suggestions in the Best Practices for Protecting Whistleblowers: The Role of Leadership mobile app are presented in a generic form, adaptable to most workplaces, but must be adjusted to variables like size, history, and applicable law. GoCanvas has more apps related to The Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989. Check them out in in our Application Store.