Whistleblowing

             According to Brita Bjorkelo, “high extraversion and dominance and low agreeableness” play a role in whistleblowing (2010, p.1). The five-factor model of personality provides insight into an individual’s characteristics, and those characteristics will determine or influence the way an individual will act in social interactions. The results of their study show that personality matters, and that some personality types will become whistleblowers if their complaint is not corrected.

The problems that led up to the current housing crisis have brought into question the whistleblower laws, because the government feels that people might need an incentive to tell. Jenny Lee reports:

In an effort to help discourage such abuse, the Dodd-Frank Act includes a new whistleblower protection provision and also amends preexisting provisions to provide significant monetary incentives to potential whistleblowers.'" The new whistleblower provision drastically expands preexisting whistleblower legislation, primarily by expanding the scope of persons prohibited from taking retaliatory action and the scope of persons protected from retaliatory action (2011, p.305).

 

            As a Human Service Leader, I would be responsible to “establish and maintain employment services that are conducive to high quality client services” (Ethical Standards, 1996). I think that the way the problem/concern is approached with the company will impact if any changes will be made; however, if the issue will cause a financial burden to the company it might not be addressed. If the situation would result in someone getting hurt, then I know that I would be going through the proper channels, with documentation, and report the problem if it was not corrected.

References

Bjørkelo, B., Einarsen, S., & Matthiesen, S. (2010). Predicting proactive behaviour at work: Exploring the role of personality as an antecedent of whistleblowing behaviour. Journal Of Occupational & Organizational Psychology, 83(2), 371-394. doi:10.1348/096317910X486385

Council for Standards in Human Service Education adopted 1996. Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals. Retrieved September 4, 2012, from http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/ethical-standards-for-hs-professionals.

Lee, J. (2011). Corporate Corruption & the New Gold Mine. Brooklyn Law Review, 77(1), 303-339