Fostering a “speak-up” culture in a remote and deskless world

The informal, in-the-moment chats that once surfaced small issues such as a worried comment at the coffee machine, a discreet corridor conversation with a trusted manager, are rarer today. Hybrid and fully remote working have fragmented those informal safety nets, and deskless teams in hospitality, manufacturing and construction often work on rotating shifts or sites where line managers are only sporadically present. That combination creates a blind spot: concerns that might previously have been nipped in the bud instead simmer or escalate because employees don’t have an easy, low-risk way to raise them.

Why catching issues early matters

Economic-crime and whistleblowing data paint the same picture: early detection reduces loss, reputational damage and regulatory exposure. PwC’s Global Economic Crime Survey found that over half of organisations experienced fraud in the previous two years, and organisations with better detection and reporting controls limit losses and recovery times.

Independent benchmarking also shows whistleblowing and incident reporting rising year-on-year, a sign people are willing to report when they trust channels; yet large numbers still stay silent because they fear retaliation or that nothing will change.‍

Recent global surveys also reveal worrying behavioural shifts: fewer employees now say they would report wrongdoing to a line manager than before, and many feel pressured not to use internal hotlines. These trends highlight how remote working and weakened manager contact can strip away the informal trust that once encouraged early disclosure.‍

Practical steps for HR, GC and Compliance leaders

Below are pragmatic actions you can start implementing today to reduce those blind spots - focused on remote staff and the deskless frontline alike.

1. Expand and diversify channels (don’t rely on a single hotline)
   Offer multiple, clearly signposted channels: anonymous web/reporting forms, chat-enabled disclosures, mobile SMS/QR reporting for site workers, and an external escalation route. Research shows employees are more likely to report when channels feel accessible and confidential. Use platforms built for modern workforces so reports can be made easily on phones or kiosks used on site.‍
2. Make it conversational and low-friction
   Deskless workers rarely want to “put things in writing” first - they want to sound out a concern. Tools that offer chat-style, two-way anonymous conversations bridge that gap: they let a person raise a tentative concern, get clarification, and be reassured before any formal case is opened. This reduces fear and creates an early-warning stream of intelligence.
3. Train and equip managers for remote detection
   Train managers to look for behavioural signals and to proactively invite confidential catch-ups. Line managers remain the most trusted escalation path, but only if they show they will listen, act, and protect staff. Reinforce this with short, scenario-based training focused on remote and shift-work contexts.
4. Use proactive monitoring and analytics, ethically
   Platforms that combine employee disclosures with proactive data monitoring can surface anomalies before they become crises. Use analytics to prioritise investigations, not to replace human judgement.
5. Protect the vulnerable (deskless, gig and contingent workers)
   For workers who never sit at a corporate laptop, make reporting possible via mobile, kiosks, paper-to-digital conversions and third-party apps with multi-language support. Communicate privacy, legal protections and the outcomes of past reports to build trust - transparency about follow-up is one of the strongest motivators to speak up.
6. Close the loop and measure impact
   Track metrics that matter: time to acknowledge a report, substantiation rate, remediation actions, and employee confidence in non-retaliation. Publicise summaries of closed cases (anonymised) and improvements made - people need to see that speaking up leads to change.

Closing thought

A strong speak-up culture no longer depends on physical proximity. It depends on a deliberate system of low-friction channels, manager behaviours that encourage tentative conversations, transparent follow-up, and technology that meets people where they are - phone, site kiosk or laptop. For HR Directors, General Counsels and Compliance leaders, the mission is the same as before: reduce fear, speed detection, and show that speaking up produces meaningful action. Do that, and you convert lost corridor conversations into organisational intelligence that prevents harm.

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