Low number of Sheffield council staff use whistleblowing policy to report wrongdoing

Sheffield Council has reported that relatively few employees have used its whistleblowing policy to raise concerns about wrongdoing. The finding matters because whistleblowing procedures are intended to help organisations identify misconduct, protect staff who report it and maintain public confidence in local government.

The report concerns formal use of the council’s policy, rather than necessarily the overall level of concerns raised through managers, HR or other routes. A low number of reports could indicate limited suspected wrongdoing, but it may also prompt questions about staff awareness of the policy and confidence in using it.