Should you speak up if you see bad behaviour at work?

HR professional Katalin Suranyi agrees, larger organisations often provide confidential channels for employees to report unethical behaviour anonymously, ensuring the employee faces no repercussions.

“In smaller organisations, anonymity may not be guaranteed, which makes reporting difficult. However, staying silent can lead to ongoing frustration and negatively affect an employee’s mental well-being,” she says.

To support a claim, employees should gather clear evidence or provide detailed descriptions to initiate an investigation. “When unethical behaviour occurs at the top, or management fails to act, the most appropriate step may be to seek employment elsewhere.”

Go against the boss’ directive

Another conflict scenario can occur when speaking out against a manager’s decision or task. Do you speak out, or go along with the flow?

“Speaking out against questionable tasks at work isn’t always simple, especially when job loss could lead to financial instability. In such cases, survival often takes priority, and staying silent might feel like the only safe option,” says Suranyi.

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She recommends documenting the situation or seeking confidential advice.

As an additional way to protect yourself, don’t react in the moment, Mastores adds,

“Speaking up can carry risk, so take a breath, get clear, and plan your move. Raise the issue calmly, suggest a better way, and if the stakes are high, get advice first. You can speak the truth – just be tactical about it.”

The manager’s pet

In every office, there’s usually a favourite who always gets the best jobs and assignment. Upset them, and you could be out the door.

“Nothing tests your composure like work with your manager’s golden child. That favouritism is a workplace virus that kills morale, repels talent, and breeds dysfunction,” adds Suranyi. Don’t waste energy calling it out.

“That rarely ends well. Instead, consider relational intelligence as your superpower. The quality of your work life depends on the quality of your relationships. Handle the dynamics intelligently, not emotionally.”

Natasha Hawker, managing director of Employee Matters adds, the simple way to get noticed is to outperform them and develop other strategic relationships across the business. “Always look to help others, and think about the saying: ‘kill them with kindness’.”