Colleague warning me off reporting inappropriate group chat

[JutrScot]

I’ve been made aware (with evidence) of some male colleagues who have a non work group chat with each other in which sexualised comments have been made about me and other colleagues.

The colleague who made me aware of this has said there’s no point reporting this as 1. It’s a non work group chat with messages outside of working hours and 2. Incase of any implications on our own careers.

I want to press ahead to report but she has given me some slight doubt. I’d appreciate anyone with a greater grasp of these matters than me giving an indication.

So tricky.

haven't RTFT but my advice woud be to go to HR and ask them what their policy is on such "outside work but work related" behaviour where it could bring the company into serious disrepute. They should definitely be able to produce the policy and you can then make a decision based on that but also if they have any sense, they will see your question as a red flag ask something like "can you tell me why you are asking?"

For those who say that actions out of work cannot be policed, can I remind you of the recent documentary about police behaviour. Some of it was filmed in a pub when the people concerned were not on duty and the police still took action about what had been said.

The policy is irrelevant

It's work colleagues discussing a work colleague. It's classed as work related, regardless of policy.

If she reported, they'd have to act

(But whether they actually would....)

Perseonally I would not report it, but also, I just wish the internet had never been invented.

that's why I am saying to ask about policy first. If you need addtional pressure to get action, you can then refer them to their own policy!

completely agree. All the (presumably) women on here who are encouraging the PP to not report are part of the problem. All this crap about how it is on their own devices etc doesn’t even come into it! Women are still so fearful to speak out - this has been a very depressing read.

I sympathise OP, but if anyone is discussing their colleagues out of work time in a sexual way, or any other way ( as long as they are not threatening violence, rape etc which would be illegal whoever did it) then I can't see it is really a HR matter.

My colleague was dismissed for racist WhatsApp messages. Someone on the Chat reported them.

Golly, there’s some short memories on here isn’t there. Does nobody remember the scandal around WhatsApp messages amongst police officers??

Yes, of course report it.

Could you contact your HR department for advice? Ask them whether a WhatsApp group on personal devices could be a disciplinary offence? Would it matter whether messages were sent during work time? You wouldn't immediately have to report the content.

Report it. They should not be speaking about a colleague like that, off-work chat or not.

Fuckers.

Hi
HR here and sorry if this has already been said. It’s an extension of the workplace and is intimidating and making for a hostile workplace. Report it and let it be dealt with. We train our managers and employees on all this stuff!

To add you will have a whistleblowing hotline number or email. As of this month sexual harassment is written into law about protections for such disclosures.Even though it was, it’s just to highlight it further to avoid doubt!

Nip that thinking in the bud.

Women are fully autonomous beings, full members of society in their own right and do not need to be defined by their relationship to a man.

Women should not be treated like this because they are human beings.

As for being thought of as harsh and difficult? meh. I have had that a lot (tend to work in male dominated industries) i am also known as an excellent team player, and employee who goes the extra mile when required, and as an all round good person too. The men i work with know not to pull stunts like this if there is a remote chance that i will get wind of it.

Report.

It is definitely grim.
Check with ACAS
I think under the law the Equality Act of 2010, this could be deemed harassment of you in the work place.

If you report it, HR are obliged to investigate.

Think carefully what you want to happen, what action you think the company should take, do you wish to continue working with them, and how will you feel if they get a reprimand and you continue working with them.

And to further add the amount of wrong information on here is alarming, it didn’t matter if it is on work time or work devices or not!!! Happy to run through the law on this with you if required.

As you have evidence, I would report this.

Remember that HR is primarily there to protect the company as a whole, not individual employees (depressing but true). So I'd position this as 'I've been made aware of this and it's clearly very inappropriate. I don't know if this has the potential to put the company at risk of further action from the people involved, or possibly reputational damage, but I thought I should make you aware.'

This approach makes you look professional and level-headed, and also reminds HR that this chat is a HUGE reputational risk to the company (even if no actual law has been broken).

Yes indeed, like Wayne couzens, whose similar behaviour was also ignored and his subsequent 'fuck up' led to Sarah Everard's murder.

OP, 100% report. PP are correct that it's irrelevant that it was a personal outside of work group chat and you say you have documentary evidence.

B.s

Hadn't WC been accused of rape/sexual assault though? That's world's away from talking about which of your colleagues you'd like to have sex with (which I also admit to doing in the past. I would have been surprised if I'd been reported to HR).

Because the person who sent it was seeing one of the men, and that has since ended (on bad terms). It was sent to her whilst they were in early dating as in ‘here’s proof I’ve always liked you’ (she was one of those named on the comments).

The first step would be to find your Employer’s Social Media Policy to identify if the comments made on the non-work related chat fall foul of any expectations and take it up with HR on that basis if they do.

If they don’t, see if the comments fall into the definition of Defamation (Libel), Harassment, Misuse of your private information (breach of confidence) or fall into the definition of grossly offensive, threatening, or menacing messages under the Malicious Communications Act 1988/Online Safety Act 2023.

If the last, report directly to the Police. If taken to court, it may well impact on them with your Employer, anyway…

YANBU for being upset, but check before you act, and make sure you have evidence…

I would want to report this and would not want to work for an organisation that did not take this seriously.

Do you belong to a Union - possibly worth contacting them if you do. At a push might be worth speaking to ACAS or citizens advice.
Why would you colleague show you this and then tell you not to do anything about it?!