Note: This is a translated version of an opinion piece in Norwegian Derfor er varsling en del av et bærekraftig arbeidsliv (psykologisk.no) first published by psykologisk.no. Psykologisk.no – Scandinavian Psychologist (ISSN 1894-5570) is an open-access journal sponsored by the Norwegian Society for Psychological Science. Other pieces on related issues in Norwegian are: Psykologifaget må bidra sterkere til en mer bærekraftig organisering av arbeidslivet (psykologisk.no)

“What does a sustainable work life mean, and how do we take care of employees who report wrongdoing that undermines it?” asks Brita Bjørkelo.

Author Info:

Brita Bjørkelo, professor in police science and organizational psychology, writes that whistleblowing is an important part of the work environment. Photo: Norwegian Police University College.

Sustainable working life is on the agenda. We can understand a sustainable work life based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal number three: good health and well-being, and number eight: decent work and economic growth.

In the Norwegian government’s long-term plan for research and education, they describe a sustainable work life as “a renewed effort for good working conditions and a good work environment through fact-based preventive work environment efforts.”

Whistleblowing is a central part of “fact-based preventive work environment efforts.” It is relevant for achieving the sustainability goals and stops illegal, unethical, and illegitimate working conditions.

It is also related to the work environment. Research shows that most employees do not report to observe wrongdoing at work. Half of the few who see something, speak up. Nevertheless, whistleblowing is cost-saving compared to all the control measures that would have had to been implemented to ensure reporting of wrongdoing at work.

Speaking up, and being subjected to negative reactions afterward, can unfortunately have several unwanted physical, psychological, and economic consequences for the whistleblower and their families, but there are few treatment options for whistleblowers. JobFast was a Norwegian research clinic for trauma and psychosocial stress in the workplace but was closed in 2017.

Results from the clinic showed, among other things, that:

– Over half of the patients reported that they had blown the whistle at least once

– The entire patient group scored high on several symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder

– The majority had complaints related to the workplace

– Those who received treatment had better mental health, except those who still experienced bullying up to a year later

– The treatment could contribute to better participation in working life

Bullying and sexual harassment are among the most reported types of wrongdoing at work. Being subjected to bullying and harassment has further been shown to be associated with long-term sick leave and disability due to mental disorders.

Danish organizational psychologists have developed the tool Grib Ind and tested the effect of bystander-based interventions aimed at bullying and sexual harassment. The findings regarding bullying have shown promising results in terms of increased awareness of bystander roles in the form of:

– Increased sense of responsibility in handling negative social situations, both individually and in the work group

– Increased awareness of constructive conflict management

– Increased attention to local risk situations

The tools aimed at sexual harassment show that employees find the intervention relevant and useful, that it can promote constructive dialogue, and that it increases awareness of preventing harassment as a shared responsibility.

The goal of whistleblowing is to do something about wrongdoing. Whistleblowers can still experience that the ill health they develop after being subjected to bullying is used to discredit the content of the whistleblowing. Furthermore, experiencing that nothing is done is what causes the most harm.

What is whistleblowing as a phenomenon?

Beyond focusing on those who blow the whistle, efforts can be directed at what or whom the whistleblowing is about – the work environment, employee representatives, and leaders.

Based on psychological treatment, creating an alliance to achieve the desired result is one of the most important things. Therapists can, in meetings with employees who blow the whistle, experience that they cannot get past the retelling that nothing is being done.

Psychologists themselves should report wrongdoing, but this is not the goal of psychological treatment. We should, however according to professional ethics, show respect and meet clients with competence, autonomy, and integrity.

This is what I choose to call the significance of the meaning-making narrative. On the one hand, we must validate the narrative to create an alliance. The absence of recognition is experienced as not being listened to and can thus be harmful.

On the other hand, we must work with and through the narrative to improve the client’s mental health and the work environment where the whistleblowing has occurred. Otherwise, the employee or the work environment can remain in the narrative.

To ensure sustainable workplaces and fact-based preventive work environment efforts, more knowledge is needed in all these three areas; whistleblowing, consequences of whistleblowing, and care for whistleblowers.

One way to achieve this is through more long-term work-related treatment and intervention research. This effort can be strengthened by having more psychologists with dual competence as clinical specialists (approved by The Norwegian Psychological Association, NPF) and research competence (PhD degree) in working life related issues to ensure the inclusion of the workplace as an arena for improvement.

Initiatives to democratize workplaces in a sustainable way in general, and for whistleblowers in particular, can further be strengthened by considering the significance of psychological, legal, sociological, and economic conditions.

Case law influences, shapes, and regulates working life. Case law is also influenced by organizational psychological research on work-related treatment and intervention research.