Marvin OnumonuResearch from Culture Shift have found that more than a quarter (28%) of employees faced bullying or harassment in the past year, while nearly 60% did not report it.
Many said they were afraid to speak up, did not feel safe, or thought nothing would change if they did.
37% said speaking up ‘isn’t worth the personal risk’.
Junior employees were twice as likely (54%) as senior leaders (27%) to say speaking up is ‘pointless’ because ‘nothing meaningful will be done about it’.
Gemma McCall, co-founder and CEO of Culture Shift, said: “These research findings tell us that significant work needs to be done across UK businesses to create cultures where everyone feels safe to speak up.
“Empowering people to do this starts by openly inviting – and accepting – feedback on working practices and organisational culture; offering confidentiality and anonymity (where required) for people who do speak up; demonstrating that something will be done about it when someone does have the courage to speak up, and perhaps most importantly, working hard every day to create a culture where speaking up is encouraged, valued and respected.
“This needs modelling at all levels within businesses, so employees, regardless of seniority, feel psychologically safe to speak up.”
