Speak-up cultures empower employees to freely and safely share ideas or concerns they may have in the workplace
Article written by Meg Shona Halpin-Webster, Graduate eLearning Content Writer at Marshalls, a Ciphr company
A speak-up culture is an environment within which all employees feel able to voice their opinions without fear of negative consequences. Speak-up cultures empower employees to freely and safely share any ideas or concerns they may have within their workplace. Creating a secure environment like this goes beyond allowing people to freely express themselves about workplace issues. You’ll also want employees to feel confident to suggest new ideas and perspectives, and provide honest feedback.
We recognised the value of speak-up cultures. So we were inspired to develop a new training bundle: our speak-up culture suite. It features two new training courses alongside some of our existing relevant ones, such as bullying and harassment, microaggressions and whistleblowing.
Find out why a speak-up culture is essential for your organisation.
- Five reasons why a speak-up culture is essential
- How we can help you to create a speak-up culture for your organisation
Five reasons why a speak-up culture is essential
Not only will implementing a speak-up culture boost inclusivity and wellbeing, but it will also encourage innovation from your employees. It can also reduce risk, plus increase the reputation of your business
1. It supports employee wellbeing
Employee wellbeing is supported by environments that enable employees to feel comfortable and safe to speak their minds, share their opinions and voice their concerns. When you feel safe, your stress and anxiety levels will drop. And it’s easier to cultivate stronger relationships between employees and managers. Employees that feel respected, supported and valued at work are also more likely to thrive creatively.
2. It increases organisational inclusivity
A speak-up culture helps an organisation effectively foster greater inclusivity. The open and supportive environment of a speak-up culture is far from exclusionary, as all employees – regardless of their race, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other protected characteristic – are made to feel accepted, heard and valued. Speak-up cultures successfully contribute to enhancing and welcoming diverse perspectives, boosting inclusivity and a strong sense of belonging for all employees.
3. It reduces risk and helps prevent problems
One of the biggest advantages of open communication and a speak-up culture is the ability to reduce, or completely prevent, issues. When employees feel empowered to raise concerns, organisations can act on them before a problem becomes a greater threat. For example, if an employee identifies malpractice and feels comfortable enough to raise this concern, they could prevent the organisation facing significant reputational damage as well as legal ramifications. Similarly, if an employee witnesses the harassment of a peer, and they voice this to management, they will be protecting an employee against this negative behaviour and reduce risk while helping to create a safer working environment for all employees.
4. It boosts the reputation of your organisation
Valuing the opinions of employees and taking their concerns seriously helps to establish a positive reputation for your organisation, as employees are more likely to feel a sense of belonging and feel job satisfaction. A positive reputation aids retention and recruitment efforts, too. Employees who feel empowered are more likely to stay with their organisation for longer, while applicants find a company with a strong, positive reputation very appealing. Organisations that are open and honest about their cultures and their employee-focused efforts are often widely praised, increasing the likelihood of attracting more customers and clients as well as applicants.
5. It encourages innovation
A speak-up culture encourages innovative ideas and out-of-the-box thinking from employees, as they are made to feel more comfortable to be themselves and express their ideas confidently. Innovative thinking is key for organisational progression, and ensures you’re in touch with fresh ideas and alternative perspectives.
How we can help you to create a speak-up culture for your organisation
Our speak-up culture training course suite provides learners with a well-rounded knowledge of the many aspects that contribute to a positive, transparent and supportive culture. This suite includes training courses on:
- NEW Speak-up culture building blocks
- Being an active bystander
- Allyship
- Bullying and harassment
- Sexual harassment
- Inclusive line management
- Microaggressions
- Whistleblowing
eLearning content: Delivered by Ciphr, powered by Marshalls
Ask us about our eLearning courses
And how to access our speak-up culture suite
This content was initially published on Marshallelearning.com (May 2024) and has been uploaded to and lightly amended on Ciphr.com as part of the brand amalgamation in August 2024