@Anonymous – thanks for commenting. I agree that in certain situations whistleblower protection may be necessary. But as a starting point, employees need to feel they can take everyday concerns to their manager or HR without fear of retaliation. And they shouldn’t have to turn their individual concerns into a group opinion just to be heard.

@Lance – thanks for weighing in. I agree that there is a sensitivity to harassment claims and fraud investigations that might involve some initial anonymity. But at some point, people have to be willing to attach their name to what they’ve seen/heard.

I think on some level we’re all coming back to the same thing. Trust in working relationships. If people trust, they aren’t afraid of reprisal. They’re comfortable speaking with you. They know the situation will be handled appropriately. And, they understand their identity will be used at the right time in the right manner.

That being said, some of the most critical business issues I have faced have required some form of anonymity. Third party reporting of sexual harassment or financial fraud come to the top of the mind. People hate anonymous sources in media reporting but they have been one of the more critical factors of exposing truth. When power structures so unabashedly favor one party in a relationship, anonymity is one of the few effective tools to combat abuse of that relationship.