77 per cent say they're likely to report it
Almost all (94 per cent of) Canadian employees feel it is their responsibility to speak up when they see wrongdoing in the workplace.
And 40 per cent have witnessed wrongdoing in the workplace, with 77 per cent likely to report it, found a survey released by WhistleBlower Security, provider of ethics reporting services.
"The vast majority of Canadian employees will speak up if and when they see wrong-doing in the workplace and this is good news," says Shannon Walker, founder and president of WhistleBlower Security in Vancouver. "Not only does this help ensure safer, more compliant and tolerant workplaces, but if internal reporting tools are in place, employers can learn about and address issues before they exacerbate or are made public."
Ninety-six per cent of Canadian employees believe safeguards should be in place to protect employees who blow the whistle and 71 per cent say it should be mandatory for all companies of a significant size to have a whistleblower hotline, according to the survey of 516 workers.
"Whistleblower hotlines are no longer 'nice to have' and are now essential business tools that help protect employees, as well as the success, reputation and sustainability of an organization," says Walker.
When a whistleblower hotline is not available, employees first share their concerns with their boss (71 per cent) and then colleagues (29 per cent), followed by friends/family (19 per cent) and industry officials (16 per cent).
However, 42 per cent of employees say they fear being “outed” as a whistleblower, while 39 per cent fear retaliation and 38 per cent fear losing their job, found Whistleblower Security.
