To whistle blow or not? Bullying.
Discussion
I work as an internal management consultant and my current piece of work is based in a call centre.
As part of my role, I have listened to calls to understand how well customer demand is met and what problems customers face. From listening to calls I have heard a lot of internal chatter from staff across all areas of the business.
I am shocked at what I have heard - racism, comments about religion, negative comments about employee and family members appearance and malicious rumours are on most calls I have listened to. It is clear that the workplace environment is toxic at the detriment of employee wellbeing. I have personally witnessed staff members cry and management turn a blind eye to it. I would suggest that bullying is institutionalised.
I have contacted HR to discuss whistleblowing and I have been assured my identity will remain anonymous should I report anything. However, my name is logged against all calls I have listened to and it will inevitably come back to me if I direct HR to listen to specific calls.
I haven't done anything wrong - but I fear that I will set a cat amongst the pigeons if I report and I will be negatively impacted for what I deem is to be doing the right thing.
Has anyone else been in a similar position and what did you do? I'm considering reporting and looking for alternative employment.
Thanks
As part of my role, I have listened to calls to understand how well customer demand is met and what problems customers face. From listening to calls I have heard a lot of internal chatter from staff across all areas of the business.
I am shocked at what I have heard - racism, comments about religion, negative comments about employee and family members appearance and malicious rumours are on most calls I have listened to. It is clear that the workplace environment is toxic at the detriment of employee wellbeing. I have personally witnessed staff members cry and management turn a blind eye to it. I would suggest that bullying is institutionalised.
I have contacted HR to discuss whistleblowing and I have been assured my identity will remain anonymous should I report anything. However, my name is logged against all calls I have listened to and it will inevitably come back to me if I direct HR to listen to specific calls.
I haven't done anything wrong - but I fear that I will set a cat amongst the pigeons if I report and I will be negatively impacted for what I deem is to be doing the right thing.
Has anyone else been in a similar position and what did you do? I'm considering reporting and looking for alternative employment.
Thanks
You have to call it in.
Imagine you didn't and one day a victim of the bullying was found at the foot of a multi-storey?
You have to do it properly, write a report, transcribe conversations, etc. And be alert to where the line between banter and bullying exists.
Good luck and good on you for at least thinking this way - plenty wouldn't!
Imagine you didn't and one day a victim of the bullying was found at the foot of a multi-storey?
You have to do it properly, write a report, transcribe conversations, etc. And be alert to where the line between banter and bullying exists.
Good luck and good on you for at least thinking this way - plenty wouldn't!
350zStee said:
I fear that I will set a cat amongst the pigeons if I report and I will be negatively impacted for what I deem is to be doing the right thing.
Is that not part of your job?Whatever, my personal take is that you’ve noticed something is ‘wrong’ .. you know that reporting it is the right thing to do. What happens next isn’t necessarily down to you. It’s easy for us faceless internet people to say this but your integrity will see you right; good luck.
Straight to the top, if you report it at middle management level then you're going to get screwed so hard you'll think you've been ridden by a f**king rhino.
Stuff like this is the sort of thing where people bury their heads in the sand and play the corporate simp, nobody is going have your back on this one, BUT at the top of the tree, if it impacts profit, someone will listen.
Remember "opinion" is synonymous with "attitude problem" in most companies.
Stuff like this is the sort of thing where people bury their heads in the sand and play the corporate simp, nobody is going have your back on this one, BUT at the top of the tree, if it impacts profit, someone will listen.
Remember "opinion" is synonymous with "attitude problem" in most companies.
Edited by lyonspride on Wednesday 11th August 22:15
Yes, you do get what are assured as "anonymous" reports to a higher (so off-site) level fed straight back to local HR, and from that the manager the reports are about, with absolutely no redacting of who was involved in them. Obviously the official corporate stuff in such cases is full of everyone getting training on how the company doesn't stand for bullying etc and reports can be made in confidence and so on.
So no, do not trust HR.
But it's right to stand up to bullies.
I'm not sure what to advise you on how to go about it, as I doubt my somewhat blunt approach to such matters is what's requires in your situation.
But you probably should do something.
So no, do not trust HR.
But it's right to stand up to bullies.
I'm not sure what to advise you on how to go about it, as I doubt my somewhat blunt approach to such matters is what's requires in your situation.
But you probably should do something.
Thanks everyone.i simply do not trust HR to do the right thing for the employee's concerned.
I detest this behaviour and have called it out in the past and it was ignored. However, due to WFH the evidence is irrefutable as the conversations are not over a desk but on a recorded line.
I detest this behaviour and have called it out in the past and it was ignored. However, due to WFH the evidence is irrefutable as the conversations are not over a desk but on a recorded line.
Low paid call center staff don't care about corporate policy shocker.
Deep down, I'm sure you know the 'right' thing to do.
I'm sad to say that in many companies (although not my current one, actually) I'd probably start thinking of updating my CV....if institutionalised it's unlikely to stay truly anonymous, and I doubt you'll be thanked.
Deep down, I'm sure you know the 'right' thing to do.
I'm sad to say that in many companies (although not my current one, actually) I'd probably start thinking of updating my CV....if institutionalised it's unlikely to stay truly anonymous, and I doubt you'll be thanked.
Edited by Previous on Thursday 12th August 00:05
StevieBee said:
You have to call it in.
Imagine you didn't and one day a victim of the bullying was found at the foot of a multi-storey?
You have to do it properly, write a report, transcribe conversations, etc. And be alert to where the line between banter and bullying exists.
Good luck and good on you for at least thinking this way - plenty wouldn't!
Excellent adviceImagine you didn't and one day a victim of the bullying was found at the foot of a multi-storey?
You have to do it properly, write a report, transcribe conversations, etc. And be alert to where the line between banter and bullying exists.
Good luck and good on you for at least thinking this way - plenty wouldn't!
I'd also add that in organisations where this sort of problem exists, it's usually deep seated, people doing what they've seen other do, probably those who've climbed the corporate ladder from it.
It's not true that "the rot starts at the top", but it does climb to the top.
Employees throwing each other under the bus, gaining promotions, continuing to the same, so the people at the top have these "trusted middle managers" who are all backstabbing narcissistic types, who have convinced all above them that the "shop floor" are terrible people, unreliable, lazy, stupid, thieves, etc etc etc. They sit in an impenetrable ivory tower, nothing anyone says will be believed and they wear teflon 24/7.
85Carrera said:
What is an “internal management consultant”?
It's quite common in call centersI did some telephony work before I retired
There are huge inefficiencies in many contact centres, perhaps the way the staffing is run, the way the IVR's work, the way that customer interactions are logged etc or the way that call reporting is done (eg staff who don't answer calls etc).
This inefficiencies can cost money
If you pay in total perhaps £4000 to a consultant over the course of a month or 6 weeks to inspect, review and suggest solutions which means you can earn an extra £1500 per month (for example) then the return on investment is great.
Let's say you find a way to reduce average wait times by 15% and abandoned calls by 12% , and you find that there were 2 members of staff who were dodging calls so you fire them and hire two people who are actually taking calls as you would expect, it's not hard in many places to sort these issues out.
Mr Whippy said:
So is this actual bullying to the recipient’s ears, because it’s WFH?
Or is this people WFH b
hing to each other about X who doesn’t know anything about it?
It doesn't matter, it's still harmful, it's just the poor sod won't know why everyone suddenly hates them and will go through a lot of mental stress because of it.Or is this people WFH b
hing to each other about X who doesn’t know anything about it?I forgot to add a view point in my previous post -
I would absolutely report it, but I would by-pass HR and go straight to the Director / CEO of the company.
HR probably are aware of it, as you mention it seems ingrained in company culture. Often HR may not be best able to take action, or will mitigate the "outcomes" in the best way, potentially the CEO is not even aware.
Of course he could be a raging EDL member himself.
I would absolutely report it, but I would by-pass HR and go straight to the Director / CEO of the company.
HR probably are aware of it, as you mention it seems ingrained in company culture. Often HR may not be best able to take action, or will mitigate the "outcomes" in the best way, potentially the CEO is not even aware.
Of course he could be a raging EDL member himself.
CarCrazyDad said:
I forgot to add a view point in my previous post -
I would absolutely report it, but I would by-pass HR and go straight to the Director / CEO of the company.
HR probably are aware of it, as you mention it seems ingrained in company culture. Often HR may not be best able to take action, or will mitigate the "outcomes" in the best way, potentially the CEO is not even aware.
Of course he could be a raging EDL member himself.
To be be fair I can see that ending badly too...I would absolutely report it, but I would by-pass HR and go straight to the Director / CEO of the company.
HR probably are aware of it, as you mention it seems ingrained in company culture. Often HR may not be best able to take action, or will mitigate the "outcomes" in the best way, potentially the CEO is not even aware.
Of course he could be a raging EDL member himself.
CEO holds a big angry meeting about it, managers say "we'll sort out the problem", but what they mean by that is "shoot the messenger".
It's a potential no win situation, but personally, knowing that i'd still want to blow the whistle on it, as i've done in the past. If all else fails drop a review on Google, Indeed and Glassdoor telling the world what's really happening, as i've also done. That's not to be vindictive either, it's to make sure that when you're going for jobs, you're potential new employer will have some idea of why you suddenly left the last one.
Edited by lyonspride on Thursday 12th August 19:28
lyonspride said:
To be be fair I can see that ending badly too...
CEO holds a big angry meeting about it, managers say "we'll sort out the problem", but what they mean by that is "shoot the messenger".
It's a potential no win situation, but personally, knowing that i'd still want to blow the whistle on it, as i've done in the past. If all else fails drop a review on Google, Indeed and Glassdoor telling the world what's really happening, as i've also done. That's not to be vindictive either, it's to make sure that when you're going for jobs, you're potential new employer will have some idea of why you suddenly left the last one.
Genius. Absolute genius idea.CEO holds a big angry meeting about it, managers say "we'll sort out the problem", but what they mean by that is "shoot the messenger".
It's a potential no win situation, but personally, knowing that i'd still want to blow the whistle on it, as i've done in the past. If all else fails drop a review on Google, Indeed and Glassdoor telling the world what's really happening, as i've also done. That's not to be vindictive either, it's to make sure that when you're going for jobs, you're potential new employer will have some idea of why you suddenly left the last one.
Edited by lyonspride on Thursday 12th August 19:28
Or a Troll.
Not sure why people are advising that you bypass HR and speak to senior management. In most organisations senior management once they know will ask HR to investigate and handle the concerns anyway.
Could always be a true whistleblower, record the calls, editing them to ensure anonymity and see if any media outlets are interested.
Could always be a true whistleblower, record the calls, editing them to ensure anonymity and see if any media outlets are interested.
Paul4potts said:
Not sure why people are advising that you bypass HR and speak to senior management. In most organisations senior management once they know will ask HR to investigate and handle the concerns anyway.
Could always be a true whistleblower, record the calls, editing them to ensure anonymity and see if any media outlets are interested.
Because HR are there to protect the "company"Could always be a true whistleblower, record the calls, editing them to ensure anonymity and see if any media outlets are interested.
If the company culture is an ingrained one of bullying , harassment and racism then HR obviously aren't very capable.
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