The rise of anonymous tiplines & how they can help

You might be familiar with anonymous tiplines, but are you aware of how they can help your company and employees? In this episode we interview Anthony Lavalle, Co-Founder of Report It LLC, as we explore anonymous tiplines, their increasing prevalence and how technology is impacting this. We’ll also dive into use cases for them, and how they can benefit your organization and employees.

• [0:30] What are anonymous tiplines & common uses
• [0:58] How they work & steps to take if you get an anonymous tip
• [2:24] Growth of anonymous tiplines
• [3:27] Overcoming potential reluctance to use & the role of technology
• [4:44] The effectiveness & benefits of employee tiplines
• [5:50] Best practices to know & the value to your company

This content is based on generally accepted HR practices, is advisory in nature, and does not constitute legal advice or other professional services. ADP does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of the content. Employers are encouraged to consult with legal counsel for advice regarding their organization's compliance with applicable laws. This content is current as of the published date. 

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to HRpreneur. I'm Jim Duffy.
From Main Street to your street,the HRpreneur podcast is centered around
helping small businesses like yours gainthe knowledge you need from H.R.
payroll and hiring to time, taxes,benefits and insurance.
Today we're talking about anonymousemployee tip lines
and how they are becoming more prevalentin today's workplace.

(00:21):
We're joined by Anthony Lavelle,co-founder of Report It LLC.
Anthony, it's great to have you with us.
Welcome to HRpreneur.
Thank you, Jim. It's great to be here.
So, Anthony, to start off,can you please tell our listeners
what our anonymous tip lines andwhat are some of the common uses for them?
Anonymous tip lines are used to encourageand support employee communication.

(00:42):
Even when someone feels uncomfortableraising a concern or communicating
in person. In a workplace environment,it's generally H.R.
related concerns, along with thingslike safety, fraud, waste, abuse
and noncompliance of policies.
So, Anthony,if it is an anonymous tip line
and something critical is reported,how does a company know what to look into?

(01:05):
Yeah, oncesomeone submits an anonymous tip,
generally there's a processfor escalating a notification.
For example, the independent third partyprovider will alert the company
via text message, an emailthat Anonymous tip has been submitted.
The client generally has a secure onlineportal to log into to view that tip.

(01:27):
So as a follow up, are there anydisadvantage to getting this anonymously?
If so, can you tell our listenersa little bit more about that
and how the tool you use can help?
Yeah, really, there's no disadvantageif someone is not comfortable
reporting a concern in person.
An anonymoustip is an option for a company.
They're much better off learning abouta potential risk or liability.

(01:49):
Anonymous tips are generally regarded
as a tool for early detection,intervention and prevention.
Can you walk our listeners through thisa little bit more, if you don't mind?
If an employer, say, getsan anonymous tip, what should they do?
Yeah.
Most companies have a procedurefor investigating employee
concerns,so an anonymous tip is no different.
It should be regarded as insightand something to look into.

(02:12):
In many occasionsthere are a few key upper management
people set up as receivers of anonymoustips.
Collectively,they'll form a plan for investigation.
Thank you for that clarification, Anthony.
So it sounds like the use of anonymous tiplines has grown.
Why are anonymous tip linesbecoming more prevalent today?
Yeah,that's something I've experienced myself.

(02:34):
There are several reasonsthe workplace has changed.
Where people work fromand how they work has changed.
Technology available has changed.
many people are working remotelyor in a hybrid environment.
It's important to make employeesknow that they are connected and included
and can submit concerns anonymously, evenif they're working away from the office.

(02:56):
So our listeners are mainly from companieswith an average employee
base of up to 50 employees.
That's five zero
is having a tip line or hotlinea right fit for companies of this size?
Absolutely.
Probably moreso than larger organizations.
Smallerorganizations are generally close knit.
Everyone knows everyone.
A person may feel hesitant raising a concern to a manager

(03:19):
or an owner about a coworkerand may choose to do nothing
which could potentially affect the companyin a negative manner.
So, Anthony, in some cases, some peoplemay be reluctant to use a tip line.
So how can a company overcome that?
a good question, Jim,
by providing a simple communicationchannel that is truly anonymous.
You know,everyone has a smartphone in hand, access

(03:43):
to a laptop, a desktop or a tabletUsing technology
is the preferred method for communicatingin today's tech driven society.
So, Anthony,can you explain a little bit more?
What do you mean by that?
You cannot just implementa toll free number and ask employees
to call it when you have a concernor suspect wrongdoing.
In many cases, they won't use it.

(04:03):
So what should employers do then?
If you want a tip line to work,providing multiple channels
for communication is your best bet.
This holds truewhether your employee base is comprised
of younger workersor more experienced workers.
Everyone is now using smartphone
technology to communicate with familymembers, friends and each other.
So can you tell me a little bit moreabout how technology plays into

(04:26):
an anonymous tip line? Sure.
We all have smartphones in our hands.
Think about the first thing people dowhen they see something unusual.
They pull out their smartphone.
Even when you watch the evening news,there is often a story
where someone is recording somethingwith their smartphone.
So, Anthony, how effective are employeetip lines?

(04:47):
Tip lines are greatto have in an organization.
They help promote a positive workenvironment where everyone has a voice.
Tip linesencourage internal communication.
This can help prevent individualsfrom quitting because they're uncomfortable
about a situation and they don'thave a good path to report it.

(05:07):
They also provide a company with insight,early detection for intervention
and prevention, and help with preventinga potential risk or liability.
For example, an employeemay say something like,
Hey, my supervisor thinks he's funny butis awfully inappropriate and offensive.
Once the company receivesthat information,
they have the opportunity to address itand potentially correct it

(05:31):
before it escalatesinto a significant liability.
That's very helpful.That's a great example.
So what types of organizations can benefitfrom having an anonymous employee
tip line?
all companies, all sizes, publicly heldcompanies, private companies,
nonprofit organizations, you name it,they all benefit.
Okay, so then how can a tip line fit

(05:52):
into an employer'sexisting complaint process?
It is a best practice to have a written employee
complaint process and give an employeemultiple avenues to voice concerns.
For instance, an employee
may not be comfortable reporting an issueto their direct supervisor.
So you want to give them waysto submit a complaint.

(06:13):
An anonymous tipcan be one of these avenues.
So, Anthony,this has all been very helpful.
Any last thought you'd like to sharewith our listeners?
Yes, I want to say this.
All companies, if there is anythinggoing on within your organization
and you want or need to know.Your employees are the eyes and ears.
They may not be comfortablereporting an issue or a concern in person.

(06:37):
You should provide themwith an anonymous solution.
Employee tips are very cost effectiveand a way to reduce risk and liability.
Excellent.
Anthony, thank you again, This has beengreat having you on our show.
This brings us to the end of this episode.
Again, we appreciate your timeand sharing your expertise with us.
presented by ADP, HRprenuer focuseson the entrepreneurs and business drivers

(07:00):
who are shaping the growthof their companies
and positivelyimpacting the lives of their employees.
With each episode, we'll bring the expertsto you, answer your questions
and help you think beyond todayso you can discover more success tomorrow.
As always,thanks for listening to HRprenuer.
Be well,and we hope you'll join us again soon.