“Close to 60% of employees who have reported to #NotMe said they told a supervisor, manager, HR, etc. who did nothing about it which left them coming to us to report and ask for assistance.”
One of the great things about my job is not just that I get to work with companies to implement #NotMe for their employees to speak up safely, but I also assist individuals that are using our platform to report issues at companies that have not yet subscribed to #NotMe. Very often, those people turn to #NotMe because they know it is the people’s misconduct reporting platform. One of their colleagues or family members has used #NotMe, was happy with the support received and has recommended it to his or her friend or family member.
Just as our subscribing companies have helped hundreds of their employees, I’ve been able to do the same for hundreds of others. While no two situations are the same, all require empathy and listening to understand the many aspects of what is being reported in order to help the individual in the best way possible.
A large number of reports that came out in 2020 were, not surprisingly, pandemic related. Many front line workers who had to report to work every day expressed their concerns over how their companies were handling their safety and well-being while they provided a much-needed service to their community. The top 5 areas of concerns for employees that were reported to #NotMe were:
- Not provided PPE (or had to reuse PPE because there wasn’t enough)
- Lack of protective barriers
- Not being able to take time off to assist someone that was sick
- Lack of proper cleaning
- Social distancing guidelines not followed
Oftentimes, at the request of the employees/reporters, I would reach out to these organizations and let them know the concerns of their employees (while maintaining the employee’s anonymity when requested). I would respectfully ask the organizations to take these reports seriously and make the necessary changes. While companies are under no obligation to respond to us to communicate the updates they’ve put in place after our conversation, they often did. But what was actually striking to me (and rewarding) was the fact that the employees who had submitted the reports almost always did. For many of the food, beverage and retail workers I spoke with, it was mostly issues 1 and 2 from the list above that were rectified. One additional issue that just missed the top 5 was many parents that had to navigate working their full time job while making sure their kids were on Zoom for classes and assisting them with homework.
For every success though, there were those that actively ignored the reports that came through. I know those companies aren’t ready for a powerful tool like #NotMe and will probably continue to have turnover – or worse – as was the case with some reporters I worked with. Listening to your employees and keeping them safe is easy to do but seemingly so hard for some employers to embrace. I’m sure those employees did not want to leave a paying job but their safety and the safety of their family far outweighed them staying.
Warning: Scary stat approaching. One of the questions in the #NotMe app asks the reporter to select who they’ve previously reported the behavior to. Close to 60% of employees who reported to #NotMe said they told a supervisor, manager, HR, etc. who did nothing about it which left them coming to us to report and ask for assistance. That’s 60% that bravely spoke up and their organization actively did nothing. The ones that chose “I did not report” from our list of possible answers followed up by saying they didn’t do so because they feared retaliation.
The bottom line is that employees are speaking up and they are looking for their organizations to listen and provide the support needed. By being open to this communication, by not judging or assuming, by welcoming the employee speaking up and by making an effort to look into what is reported, HR leaders or anyone internally can be catalysts of change. A change that will benefit the company as a whole. A change that will create trust and a willingness for other employees to come forward – when in need – knowing that each report will be taken seriously and each reporter will be appreciated.
Subscribe to #NotMe and join other proactive organizations that are keeping their employees safe with an easy and anonymous (if preferred) misconduct reporting solution for your company. We’d love to show you how powerful the #NotMe platform can be for your organization, its culture, leadership and employees at every level.
