Author: Adrian Ramdat BA Ed, PGCE – Specialist Trainer
Mar 2022
The report by Sue Gray into the allegations of gatherings on government premises in contravention of the Coronavirus restrictions recently published. The report identified a number of issues including improvements to the whistleblowing procedures within central government.
Two official reports have now found that Civil Servants felt unable to raise concerns and that the whistleblowing process was not trusted to deal with concerns in an appropriate way.
Protect, the UK’s whistleblowing charity has conducted its own research into the whistleblowing or speak-up culture in the civil service and found that only 34% of civil servants know how to raise whistleblowing concerns about wrongdoing that they witness in their workplace.
At The Signature Brand Training & Consultancy, we find this figure is quite shocking and no matter which organisations or which sector, all organisations should encourage a ‘speak up’ culture.
Sadly, some organisations see whistleblowing as a negative but it should be seen as the opposite and as allowing the organisation to be the best it can be.
On the back of the Gray report, the following reforms have been recommended:
- A widening of the scope of what may count as whistleblowing, including improper behaviour and misuse or abuse of authority.
- Whistleblowers should have the option to raise a concern with someone outside the Civil Service and the Civil Service Commission.
- Each department should appoint a Senior Civil Servant as the whistleblowing champion for the department.
- The staff survey should test staff awareness of and trust in the whistleblowing function. At least once a year the whistleblowing champion should report to the departmental board on the success of embedding a speaking up culture and use of the whistleblowing function by the department.
- There should be additional training provided to all those who work in the civil service and central government, and a clear and consistent message from the top that it is a duty to speak up about wrongdoing and anyone doing so will be protected from any retribution.
The Signature Brand Training & Consultancy are proud to offer accredited whistleblowing training, which is delivered by experienced practitioners that have the skills and knowledge to allow others to develop their ability to take whistleblowing reports and protect staff that have the courage to speak out. Contact us for further details and how we can help.
