Three quarters of software engineers face retaliation for whistleblowing Three quarters of software engineers reporting wrongdoing in their workplace have faced some kind of retaliation, according to a study. The report by market research firm Survation found slightly more than half (53 percent) of the 280 software engineers questioned suspected wrongdoing at work, while 75 percent of these …
This happens everywhere, all industries and organisations. Just as an example whistleblower problems in the NHS .
Managers almost always shoot the messenger. It makes me wonder what motivates management and where is their morality ?
The report is quite interesting but doesn't do full justice to the data set (appendices A and B). But even in this, although the mind set of the respondents is captured in considerable detail, the definition of 'wrongdoing' is much too broad to be really informative. I'd be particularly interested in the reaction to whistle blowing specifically about poor development practice, as that's really the only thing that supposedly distinguishes this study from one relating to the general workforce.
Unintended (?) consequence of IR35 is that deemed employees don't have any whistleblower protections.
Same goes for deemed employees working for IR35 exempt big consultancies. They cannot report anything dodgy going on at the clients without fear of being removed from the project.
Big corporations may 'lay you off' for asking that because your words may latter appear as evidence in a lawsuit.
You're supposed to say that you'd like share the plans with the legal team, or something like that. That leaves for a defense that workflows were followed and nobody noticed anything illegal.
Over two, nearly three, decades ago I had a project in a 3rd-world country (Trinidad) in large part do to my having done similar projects in other 3rd-world countries (Jamaica and Barbados). The project was supposed to take 15-18 months. When I arrived I had a close look at things, and decided that there was no way on God's green Earth that the project would take under 24 months, probably 30, possibly 36. I said so. Loudly. The MD of the concern in question was... not happy. Apparently I had a poor attitude and was not team-oriented. I was gone within 3 months.
The project was canceled 48 months in, incomplete. The MD had departed for Canada (good luck with him, Canucks, you'll need it.). Prior to the project being canceled the MD's replacement had contacted me re getting back on board and fixing things. I said no way, not unless they paid me a rate equivalent to 5x my normal rate, plus expenses including housing, vehicles (note the plural) and transport to and from Florida. For some reason they never got back to me. Such a pity.
Execs always surround themselves with staff that have become highly dependent on their current level of wealth. Kids, big house payment, boat payment, an addiction to an upscale lifestyle, and the promise of an easy retirement. None of them dares take action that makes the boss unhappy or puts the short-term share price at risk.
Good luck reporting something improper going on.
-- Three quarters of software engineers reporting wrongdoing in their workplace have faced some kind of retaliation, according to a study. --
I know I'm going to get lots of downvotes but what else do you expect? No one like to be told they're in the wrong and if you're reported to TPTB then that's double plus ungood.
This study strikes me as yet another "bear's shit in the woods"
NB: I'm not saying the one's reported didn't deserve it just WTF did you expect?
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