Safe Reporting Line

My colleagues and I at The Neutral Zone are proud to offer a unique third party safe reporting program to organizations hoping to empower their employees and clients to explore their options when they are faced with challenges at work. This program involves setting up a 1-800 number that members can call with any concern they don’t otherwise feel safe reporting through existing channels. As we receive the calls, we work closely with the caller and a dedicated committee from each organization to find the best course of action to address the concern. This service protects the confidentiality of the caller and is not meant as an alternative to formal HR channels. We aim to provide a soft landing place for the most vulnerable members of an organization to air their concerns and explore next steps.

Overview

It can be difficult to know what’s really going on at the ground level of a workforce, particularly in large organizations. Managers and employees have an incentive to paint a positive picture for senior leaders. By making itself more receptive to feedback from all its members, a senior leadership can act in the best interests of employees, clients, service- providers and the organization as a whole. There is an ever increasing expectation that organizations demonstrate due diligence when it comes to providing a work environment that is inclusive, responsive, and free from harassment and discrimination. A Safe Reporting Program promotes the values of today’s workforce by giving everyone a voice in a safe harbor.

It is common for employees not to report poor workplace practices for fear of retribution. Official reporting chains often leave those at the bottom too intimidated to speak up. Safe reporting protection encourages people to speak up and address urgent issues. It also provides senior
leaders with the opportunity to cultivate a cultural climate of respect and accountability all while mitigating legal, reputational and financial risks.

The Service Provider

Since 1994 the Neutral Zone Coaching & Consulting Services Inc. (TNZ) has provided impartial and confidential conflict resolution, investigation, facilitation and training services for public and private sector organizations, community groups, families and individuals. Visit us at theneutralzone.ca

Benefits For Leadership

• Risk Management – provides a credible path for issues to be addressed, preventing issues from moving into public media or litigation
• Prevention – deters wrongdoers from acting when they know they will be caught
• Awareness – increases understanding around employee concerns and operational/cultural problems
• Reputation – demonstrates caring, engaged and accountable leadership
• Confidentiality – provides a safe opportunity to take preventative action rather than being 
forced into reactive and costly damage control
• Trust – builds employee morale and public confidence in organizational leadership
• Engagement – promotes the inclusion of all members within an organization in generation of solutions
• Integrity – reverses the common perception that “management allows problems to continue”

Protection For Employees AND Clients

• Confidentiality – provides complainants with an assurance that their information remains confidential and their identities anonymous where required
• Support – consultants expertly trained in facilitation, coaching and conflict resolution are available to support staff and management and provide recommendations.
• Effectiveness – ensures resolution. Most complainants are very appreciative and even if their complaint is found to be unsubstantiated, there can be satisfaction in knowing that a fair process was followed.

Services

• A private and confidential portal for anyone to raise issues or concerns in the form of a phone number, 1-800 toll free phone number, a dedicated email address and a webpage. All submissions or inquiries directed through TNZ are kept in the strictest confidence with documents kept on independent, password protected, Canadian-owned servers and all paper documentation confidentially shredded upon completion in compliance with Information and Privacy legislation. A qualified consultant directly responds to calls, or emails, within 24 business hours.
• TNZ’s consultant then conducts an intake process in which they hear complaints and concerns and receive any submissions. The consultant typically makes early inquiries about options with an organizational representative. The Safe Reporting Program does not duplicate or in any way interfere with existing processes to address issues. The designated organizational representative retains control over the resolution process, determining the appropriate path forward.
• TNZ’s consultant may be asked by the organizational representative to facilitate resolution or step back so another process may be used to ensure resolution. 
Recommendations may be given by the consultant but the final call is made by the organization.
• TNZ provides documentation as requested, while taking reasonable measures to protect privacy and confidentiality such as aggregate summary statistics.
• Services may be adapted and other services may be provided as negotiated.
• TNZ acts in compliance with the organization’s policies and in accordance with principles 
of due process and natural justice.

INVESTMENT

The Safe Reporting Program service involves initial brief communications to:

• clarify the program;
• refer to other internal processes or appropriate resources;
• coach complainants in effective problem-solving; and,
• establish whether the Safe Reporting Program is the appropriate resource. 
For this reason, it is most cost-effective for the organization to pay a flat fee monthly based on the size of the organization to cover administrative costs including operating expenses, phone line, email/webpage access and availability of the consultant. Additional services are billed at a discounted hourly rate where requested by the organization.
• Reports are provided semi- annually summarizing the number of calls, general nature of concerns, and how they were resolved.
• Annual contracts are typically negotiated with options to renew or cancel anytime.

Fees include:

• A specialized intake counsellor to respond to inquiries within two business days.
• Initial intake, triage and support to assess, defuse and plan.
• Private, neutral, off-site office space for meetings.
• Administrative expenses for phone, web and email access.
• Maintenance of current referral network for additional support.
• Information resources such as hand-outs and references
• Annual program assessment meetings with identified organizational representatives and 
strategy meetings as required regarding specific issues.

Discounted Public Sector/Charitable Organization Rates 

Monthly fee*: $950 + (95 cents per employee) + GST

• Hourly rate of $275 for scheduled mediations, coaching sessions and facilitated conversations.