Whistleblowing has become a major part of the USA’s culture. While whistleblowers might not get the protections and respect they deserve, Americans overall feel that whistleblowing is a good thing.

The main reason whistleblowing works so well is Americans like to fight for what’s right, no matter how difficult it might be. Plus, they not only want more ethical places to work, but they want to do business with more ethical companies.

1. Provides Necessary Checks And Balances

Whistleblowers have the power to save lives. From preventing unethical patient treatments to ensuring construction projects are safe, a whistleblower can save lives just by speaking up. This power is well respected in a culture that is built on checks and balances. While there are still unethical practices among those checks and balances, whistleblowing is an effective way to provide better balance to companies and governments.

2. Encourages Freedom Of Expression

The USA is a free country that values freedom of expression. This means whistleblowers have the freedom to speak up when they see something wrong. Americans would rather a whistleblower out an unethical person or business than stay quiet. Even if they don’t always agree with what the whistleblower has to say, they still believe in the whistleblower’s right to step forward.

3. Aligns With American Freedom

Unethical practices take away peoples’ freedoms. Whistleblowing works in the USA because Americans greatly value their freedom. For instance, healthcare fraud takes away the freedom of more affordable healthcare. Whistleblowing is encouraged to create a better country for everyone and not just those who prefer unethical lifestyles.

4. Works With Civic Responsibility

America relies upon its citizens to handle certain civic responsibilities. This is a large part of democracy. Whistleblowing, which dates back in America to Benjamin Franklin, is just one of those responsibilities. It’s every citizen’s job to not only do what’s right, but to speak up when someone is doing something wrong.

Much like when someone calls the police over suspicious activity, whistleblowers file reports to try to put a stop to unethical practices. This is even at the risk of their own job.

This is also why businesses and governments have invested in whistleblower hotlines. From anonymous tips to full reports, these hotlines give citizens a way to perform their civic duty in making this country a better place for everyone.

5. Gives People A Way To Fight For Good

People love to fight for good. This is especially true with the millennial generation. All you have to do is look at the #MeToo movement to see how this generation is making a positive change. However, whistleblowing goes beyond just this one cause.

Every person, no matter who they are or what position they work in, has the power to do good. This empowerment is why whistleblowing works in the USA. Everyone is considered equal when filing reports. A new part-time employee can expose a corrupt CEO and save a business and its customers.

While whistleblowers do need more protections, the culture of whistleblowing has grown and become the norm in the USA. It’s also holding companies and government fully accountable to create a more ethical country