Anxieties over being accused of harassment or unethical behaviour are prompting business leaders to reduce interactions with staff
21 January 2026
Business leaders are increasingly altering their behaviour at work amid concerns about false allegations and reputational risk.
Nearly one in 10 (7 per cent) bosses said they avoided meeting with junior colleagues because of a fear of being falsely accused of misconduct, according to a YouGov survey of 250 business leaders commissioned by global investigations firm Nardello & Co.
One in six (16 per cent) businesses reported facing false allegations in the past year, including claims relating to misconduct, harassment or unethical behaviour.
Tackling toxic work relationship
Concerns around false allegations are influencing some business leaders to change their behaviour. More than half (57 per cent) said they were now more cautious when speaking, while 42 per cent said they avoided using social media because of fears about reputational risk. Overall, 18 per cent expressed concerns about managing wrongful allegations from employees.
Holly Tonks, HR director at consultancy JourneyHR, said the findings reflected a combination of “heightened scrutiny and a lack of confidence in how allegations are managed”.
“With tribunal backlogs increasing and allegations often playing out publicly before facts are established, many leaders...
Anxieties over being accused of harassment or unethical behaviour are prompting business leaders to reduce interactions with staff 21 January 2026 Business leaders are increasingly altering their ...