Compliance attorney Michael Volkov questions whether companies are really interested in hearing and responding to employee concerns. He notes as a sign of deteriorating relationships between employers and employees that instances of retaliation for raising concerns have doubled in the last five years, increasing to 44 percent of respondents in a 2018 survey.
Noting the long-term benefits of a corporate culture in which employees feel safe in drawing attention to problems, Volkov suggests that companies consider hiring an independent ombudsman. “It is a costly step but one that can bring significant results, especially in those industries subject to incentivized whistleblowers,” he argues.
