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Five primary reasons to become a whistleblower
21 Nov 2022
According to some philosophers, humans behave only in their self-interest—that selflessness does not exist. If someone believes such a notion, how can one explain the actions of whistleblowers?
We're not attempting to create a debate here, and we're certainly not philosophers. However, it begs the question: Why do so many individuals undergo adversity in order to become whistleblowers? What is their driving force? We've come up with a few suggestions for you to think about.
Frequent reporting of Whistleblowing
You may be shocked to hear how often workplace wrongdoing is reported. According to the Ethics Resource Council research, 65 percent of employees who witnessed misconduct at work reported it. Moreover, over half of the employees who informed others about wrongdoing reported it to someone they deemed a credible source inside their company or organization.
Whistleblowers are commonly highly ethical persons
Whistleblowers are frequently portrayed as dissatisfied, opportunistic employees looking for quick money, vengeance, or both. In reality, this is not the case. A greater sense of purpose often drives those who blow the whistle. They may value justice and the larger good more than organizational loyalty, but they struggle to decide because they want to be fair and loyal. The "whistleblower's dilemma" has been coined to describe this kind of distress. Some whistleblowers have no significant conflict of justice vs. loyalty. Instead, they feel what they are doing is very loyal—that is, they feel that exposing wrongdoing improves the firm, displaying their commitment to the firm and their moral values without a conflict.
Factors leading people to become whistleblowers
Numerous factors in a person's life might impact their decision to become a whistleblower. Here are three significant factors that might change a person's opinion one way or the other:
Situational factors: If an employee believes their employer motivates them to speak out and shields them from retaliation by providing adequate channels for reporting misconduct, they are more likely to blow the whistle.
Cultural factors: Employees who originate from more interdependent societies, such as those seen in China or Japan, are less inclined to report wrongdoing. Individuals from a culture that values independence, such as the United States, are more likely to become whistleblowers.
Personal characteristics: Whistleblowers are often influential individuals with passionate personalities. Instead of being "losers," whistleblowers are often individuals with a better degree and a better wage. Additionally, they are often long-term employees, extroverts, and males. In addition, they often assume responsibility for their acts.
Top five reasons to become a whistleblower
If you are trained and excellent at work, think that issues can be rectified, and have a strong personality with a strong sense of what's right or wrong, you meet the description of what is termed a 'natural' whistleblower. These individuals often blow the whistle for at least one of the following five reasons:
Fundamental Sense of Ethics and Fairness - As previously said, whistleblowers often possess a strong sense of right and wrong. This need for justice, as well as the need to maintain their integrity, may motivate people to come forward. They are confident that it is the correct course of action.
Pursue constructive change - They often want to make improvements to the company for which they work. They take considerable pleasure in their jobs and consider themselves to have a personal stake in the organization. When they see misconduct, they feel personally deceived; they then opt to speak out and disclose wrongdoing for the company's benefit.
Safeguarding other people from danger - When the misconduct includes the potential for damage to customers, soldiers, medical patients, and others, the whistleblower's priority becomes averting such damage. For instance, knowing that defective body armor is being delivered to people fighting on the front lines in order to enrich others can motivate someone to blow the whistle.
Protection of own rights - Richard West, a Vietnam veteran with muscular dystrophy, required 16 hours of care every day at home. At one point, he realized that he was unable to seek dental treatment due to the exhaustion of his Medicaid insurance. When he looked through his Medicaid statements, he realized that the government was being charged for treatments he had never received, thereby depleting his benefits. The veteran said afterward that he was so handicapped, and the fraudulent accounting was so egregious that he worried that he would lose medical care and die.
Monetary awards - However, it is hardly a legitimate reason. The above-listed causes tend to influence the decision-making process of someone who agonizes over blowing the whistle. A financial benefit is usually included in the list of reasons as no person wants to go through a court battle for months or years. Generally speaking, only a strong sense of moral purpose, the need to safeguard others, or the desire to benefit a profoundly concerned organization is enough to keep the whistleblowers going.
Conclusion
Separating oneself from the crowd and pursuing one's moral convictions might be ethically desirable, but it can also be alienating and demoralizing. Whistleblowers may find themselves looking for new jobs or pursuing other life paths when their lawsuit is resolved. Yet they continue, confident that their cause is good. If you are willing to breach the herd and blow the whistle, we, WhistleFirst, are prepared to assist you in taking these measures and accompanying you along the path.
