I’ve just now been able to review the responses from Norm Augustine, Pat Harned, and Scott Avelino to your Dangerous Silence blog. Having served for twenty years as an ethics officer for Lockheed Martin, both for operating units in the field and at the corporate headquarters, I would like to share my perspective on the dangerous silence of employees who know of misconduct, but who choose not to report it.
Surveys, not only by Ethics Resource Center and KPMG, but also within Lockheed Martin and other companies, show that people don’t report wrongdoing principally because there is a lack of trust and confidence that anything will be done. And, of course, surveys show fear of retaliation as a second major factor. Also, some employees don’t report issues, simply because they don’t want their work group to be seen in a negative light.
Norm Augustine is right to say that the majority of issues are human resources related, with most being very minor. But, I don’t think it matters in the long run, whether or not unreported issues are minor or major. An organization must work everyway it can to eliminate the reluctance of employees to report matters on a timely basis, no matter how minor.
An organization must work diligently to gain the trust and confidence of its employees, so they feel free to make reports to the ethics office or external hotline or to their managers and supervisors. It’s a trust issue, a company loyalty issue, a mark of good teamwork, caring, taking responsibility, being a good citizen and so on. This is what must be instilled in employees.
This is, of course, a two-way street. If the company wants this kind of support from its employees, the company must be willing to treat its employees in the same fashion. The old saying “if the company takes care of its employees, the employees will take care of the company" is true about ethics and trust. The payoff in this drill is that, while you get a lot of nickel and dime stuff to deal with, you stand a great chance of capturing the showstopper or “stop the presses” issue, almost as soon as it happens.
I would also remark that, while many of the human resources issues are minor, they aren’t usually minor to the employee. So, of course, it is important to act on these matters, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but you gain the employee’s confidence and win over another supporter for the program. And, you can be sure the employee will be sharing his or her experience at the water fountain during the next work break.
I would add that many of the employees who are reluctant to report wrongdoing are not just rank and file employees. In many cases, they occupy leadership positions and are supposed to be setting the example for subordinates. Their trust in the company and its ethics office is critical. Their leadership, or failure, here becomes known over time and will strengthen--or devastate--the program.
Robert "Bud" Reid
Ethics Officer (retired)
Lockheed Martin, Inc.
