Whistleblowing is becoming more common, but many organisations still fail to handle it effectively. Dispute resolution expert Paul O’Donnell argues that managers need better training to distinguish between grievances and whistleblowing, protect staff from retaliation, and build healthier workplace cultures. Otherwise organisations risk mistrust, reputational damage, and costly legal consequences.

The Alan Turing Institute suddenly became front page news in August after staff went public with claims of poor leadership, a ‘toxic culture’, and fears of funding being withdrawn.

Even though the UK’s Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA) has been in force for 27 years now, imposing clear legal guidance and protection for whistleblowers exposing illegal or potentially damaging practices, it’s debatable whether there’s yet a full understanding or appreciation of the status of the whistleblower.

There’s a training and development gap that’s being exposed by each new whistleblowing case

The people profession, and managers more generally, can still be guilty of apathy and confusion, when the Act is very clear; employees are wholly entitled to speak out, and need to be given every protection from threats of dismissal and attempts to silence them. In other words, there’s a training and development gap that’s being exposed by each new whistleblowing case.

A more common issue

Whistleblowing has become more common in the wake of a change to workplace culture: the cumulative result of...

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