Underreporting vs. False Allegations

Despite increased efforts to prevent harassment and discrimination in the workplace, people who report harassment still experience retaliation. One survey of federal workers found that two-thirds of women who had reported their harassers were subsequently assaulted, taunted, demoted, or fired by their harassers or friends of their harassers. Even with heightened awareness around this issue, countless individuals are suffering silently while bearing the professional and personal costs of toxic workplace behavior. Companies are—in many cases unknowingly—bearing their side of the cost with legal risk, productivity loss, retention issues, higher healthcare costs, and potential PR disasters that they can’t adequately anticipate.

Yet, concern over false allegations still seems to trump concern over the pervasive and proven problem of underreporting. Many men express apprehension about being falsely accused, sometimes more so than issues like gender pay gaps or barriers to career advancement for women. According to research from Pew, about a third of Americans believe false accusations are a significant problem, highlighting how the fear of false claims can sometimes overshadow the broader and persistent issue of underreported workplace harassment​.

How frequent are false reports?

The truth is that false reports are quite rare. Just like the misinformed “stranger danger” campaigns that frightened parents in the 1980s and ‘90s, the outcry over false reporting is focusing our attention in the wrong direction.

The data shows that false reports account for approximately 2-10% of all reports. But given that 75% of incidents aren’t ever reported in the first place, the number of unreported incidents of harassment and discrimination is far greater than the total number of submitted false reports.

It should also be noted how “false report” is defined in the data. In reality, there’s a difference between a good faith report that is ultimately proven to be unsubstantiated or unfounded and a malicious report designed to damage someone’s reputation. In the former scenario, harassment or discrimination may have occurred but there may not be enough evidence to take action. However, both are considered “false reports” within most reporting systems.

Damaging misconceptions

When employees are reporting early, before things escalate, and have access to an anonymous tool that helps them create rich, accurate accounts of issues, HR can get a true sense of what’s happening in their organization. They can then respond appropriately and implement proactive measures to reduce risk and investigative costs and positively impact culture.

But misconceptions about false reporting have direct, negative consequences and ultimately contribute to the problem of underreporting. We know that two of the barriers to reporting are fear of not being believed and fear of retaliation. If an organization places undue emphasis on the potential for false reports, people who actually experience harassment or discrimination have greater reason to fear their reports will be met with suspicion or derision and become even less likely to speak up.

How can organizations encourage honest reporting while minimizing false claims?

Instead of fixating on the small percentage of false reports, forward-thinking leaders are shifting their focus to the much larger issue of underreporting. They understand that fostering a culture where employees feel safe to speak up about harassment, discrimination, or any inappropriate behavior is crucial. To do this effectively, they’re implementing robust anti-harassment policies, clearly communicating these guidelines, and providing multiple channels for reporting, including anonymous tools like Spot.

Spot empowers employees to report concerns securely and with confidence in how any investigation will be conducted. An anonymous reporting tool is essential in creating a safe and confidential environment for sharing sensitive information. This anonymity not only encourages more accurate reporting but also gives HR teams valuable insights into the workplace climate. With this data, organizations can proactively address issues before they escalate, reducing risk and reinforcing a culture of trust and accountability. When employees trust that their concerns will be taken seriously and addressed appropriately, the likelihood of false accusations diminishes, and the overall health of the workplace improves.

Want to hear more about false reporting and the questions we should be asking instead? Listen to my interview on the All Turtles Startup Playbook podcast.