Your role as a proactive confidential advisor
As a confidential advisor, you are an important point of contact for employees who have experienced undesirable behavior, even outside working hours. But your role goes beyond reactive support; you play an active role in identifying risks, raising awareness about the issue, and encouraging preventive measures within the organization.
What can you do?
- Actively contribute to prevention and awareness
- Ensure that undesirable behavior outside working hours is a recurring theme in prevention campaigns and training sessions on social safety.
- Work together with HR and management to develop guidelines and informational materials so employees know where to turn if something happens.
- Encourage supervisors to address the topic proactively within their teams and create an open dialogue.
- Discuss boundaries and codes of conduct within the organization
- Initiate conversations with supervisors about the importance of clear boundaries and behavioral guidelines related to work-related social activities.
- Encourage the inclusion of behavioral rules in policies, stating that undesirable behavior outside working hours also has an impact on work and will be taken seriously.
- Discuss in team meetings the importance of respectful interaction — both inside and outside of working hours.
- Provide support to employees who experience undesirable behavior
- Listen and guide: offer a safe and confidential space where employees can share their experiences.
- Provide advice on how to approach the situation and think along about possible solutions.
- Explain possible steps: inform employees about options such as reporting to HR, a supervisor, or external support services.
- Support next steps: assist employees in filing reports or preparing for conversations with those involved.
What can you communicate to employees?
Employees should understand that undesirable behavior, even outside working hours, can affect the work atmosphere — and that they are not alone. Encourage them to speak up about their experiences and to feel supported in finding solutions. Make sure they know they can always come to you as a confidential advisor, even if they are unsure whether something is work-related.
From recognition to change
Undesirable behavior doesn’t stop at the office door. As a proactive confidential advisor, you play a crucial role in recognizing, discussing, and preventing situations that affect employee safety and well-being. By consistently drawing attention to this issue and working together with HR and management, you contribute to a culture in which respect and safety come first — both inside and outside of working hours.