New report reveals persisting factors behind shortfalls in employee reporting
Workplace misconduct reached a nearly seven-year high in 2025 as organisations make “great strides” to mitigate risks related to workplace harassment and misconduct, according to a new report.
Findings from HR Acuity found that 55% of employees experienced or witnessed misconduct in 2025, a surge from the 41% a year ago, and almost surpassing the 56% first recorded in 2019.
“The single-year 14-point jump means more cases entering the system, more investigations to staff, and more employees waiting for a response,” the report read.
The higher cases likely indicate that employees are becoming more confident in reporting their concerns, with 78% of employees who experienced or witnessed misconduct saying they reported the incident.
Three in four employees also said their reported issues were investigated and resolved, with 90% saying they felt their issues were resolved fairly.
“The findings confirm that employee relations has made great strides to mitigate risk related to workplace harassment and misconduct,” said Deb Muller, founder and CEO of HR Acuity, in a statement.
“Not only is misconduct rampant, but employees feel more empowered to speak up and are increasingly using AI to help report concerns, contributing to greater case complexity.”
More complex cases rising
But the report pointed out that the surge in cases means increased volume alone could be a liability for HR teams handling them.
It also noted that there is growing complexity in cases being reported, which are now involving multiple issue types that can put organisations at legal risk.
According to the report, 38% of employees encountered more than four distinct issues in 2025, up 14 percentage points from 2024.
Among the top issues encountered in 2025 are:
- Favouritism/nepotism (37%)
- Bullying/intimidation (36%)
- Policy/code of conduct (27%)
- Corruption (22%)
- Age discrimination (22%)
- Gender discrimination (22%)
- Sexual harassment (22%)
- Retaliation (21%)
“In order to create lasting change, the challenge for employee relations is now two-fold: to effectively handle greater volume and more complex investigations at scale and to dig into their data to understand and reach the 22% of employees who still don’t speak up,” Muller said.
Gaps in employee reporting
Despite the progress in employee reporting, the report found that various gaps remain in the reporting process amid different concerns from the workforce.
The report revealed that 22% of employees still didn’t speak up when they experienced or witnessed harassment, with in-office workers more likely to remain silent than remote staff.
This is also despite 67% of employees experiencing or witnessing misconduct while they’re in the office, according to the findings.
By position, only 63% of hourly employees reported concerns about misconduct, and just 61% of those were investigated. This is significantly lower than the 97% of executives who reported misconduct concerns, where 98% were investigated.
Factors behind reporting gaps
Some factors contributing to these gaps are the lack of awareness on reporting channels and fear of retaliation, the report revealed.
Only 56% of employees said they know anonymous reporting tools exist, despite nearly all organisations offering this channel.
“When it comes to anonymous reporting, there’s a clear disconnect between what employers provide and what employees know about,” the report noted.
“Organisations that actively communicate anonymous reporting and back it up with a clear, credible process are the ones employees trust.”
In fact, the report found that when employees know they can report anonymously, they are nearly twice as likely to make reports on incidents they witnessed or experienced.
Meanwhile, another factor behind reporting gaps is the fear of retaliation, which the report said silences employees and undermines the entire process.
Nearly half of employees (46%) cited fear of retaliation as the reason why they don’t report incidents of misconduct.
“Retaliation thrives in environments where power imbalances go unchecked, accountability is inconsistent and past incidents fester. Employees notice,” the report read.
“When they watch peers experience negative consequences for reporting, the message is clear: Speaking up carries a cost. For many, it’s not worth the risk.”
Addressing the fear of retaliation requires a thorough aftercare process after an employee makes a report, according to the research.
“Visible throughcare, including check-ins and outcome sharing, builds confidence in the process which is essential for future reporting,” the research said.
Employers who effectively handle reported misconduct can expect restored employee trust and better reputation, according to the report.
More than half of employees (55%) said they are more likely to recommend their employer if their reported misconduct issue was resolved.
“Handled well from intake through resolution, an organisation’s response restores trust and shapes the broader employee experience, including whether people stay, refer others, and speak up again,” the report read.
