Employee activism has the power to transform businesses for the better. However, it’s not always easy for employees to be heard or feel confident enough to speak up.

Ethical issues plaguing a business can easily cost you valuable employees, clients and your reputation. Having employees standing up for what’s right helps you make positive changes for a better future for your organization.

Provides A Universal Voice

Sometimes, employee activism never takes off because only one or two employees speak up. Others are afraid, especially newer employees, that they’ll lose their jobs if they’re associated with any controversy. However, an ethics hotline gives every employee a universal voice. They can add names to their reports or file reports anonymously.

When you’re seeing multiple reports on the same issues, you know there’s a serious problem you need to address. This is a safe way for employees to band together and ensure it’s not one person’s word against another.

Tackle Multiple Issues At Once

Since individual employees are free to report any ethical issues, activists don’t have to focus solely on one or two main issues. Instead, everyone can speak up based on the issues they’re personally dealing with. For instance, two employees might report a sexist manager, while several others report unsafe work conditions in a warehouse area.

Instead of businesses just working on a single issue, they’re able to tackle multiple issues at one time. This helps improve the workplace culture faster.

Helps Employees Support Each Other

Employee activism isn’t just about making things better for one or two employees. It’s also about standing up for the rights of employees who are afraid to speak for themselves. If someone reports something to HR about a fellow co-worker, it can create an embarrassing situation and even cause friction between the co-workers.

If an employee anonymously reports an issue affecting a co-worker, it can be investigated more quietly. No one needs to know who reported it. All they need to know is the issue is finally resolved. This type of activism helps empower others to stand up for their fellow employees.

Proves Employees Can Change Things

Often, employee activism fades away when nothing happens. However, with a properly implemented ethics hotline, change does happen. Issues aren’t just pushed to the side. They’re investigated and action is taken to resolve the problem. When employees see that a business is willing to make things better, it proves that activism does work.

Employees are willing to challenge employers to be more ethical. It also challenges employees to live up to those ethical standards.

Brings Employees Closer Together

Employee activism typically works best when employees are on the same page. Being able to safely report ethical issues without fear helps create a more cohesive team. Employees back each other when issues arise instead of lying just to save their job. They don’t fear retaliation because they know their ethical co-workers will support them and report anything that comes up.

This creates an ethical team willing to always stand up for what’s right. This helps a business stay more ethical, which also helps boost client satisfaction and attract even more amazing employees.