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.

Not relevant to what you asked but WTAF?

A woman dated a man who proved he had always liked her by sharing a disgusting misogynistic account he gave in a group chat of her being one of 3 colleagues he would allow to have sex with him at the same time? And this is from last summer? And they only just split up?

I despair.

I agree. Although it happened outside of work time it is now affecting you at work because you know what has been said about you and therefore you can’t be expected to interact with these people give that they have humiliated you.

The company is very big and we have a Union so I will run it by them - thanks to poster above who made that suggestion.

Yes, in her own words she enjoyed the attention (at first) as he is older and in a more senior role. However she believes he has also been seeing another colleague for a few months hence no longer seeing him.

There was a WhatsApp group of him and 6 other police officers where racist, homophobic and general derogatory comments about women and people with disabilities were shared. All 6 were eventually dismissed from the police and 2 were convicted under the communications act.
None of this apparently came to light until his arrest for murder.

My point is that these types of messages are often the thin end of the wedge, and shouldn't be ignored or dismissed as 'harmless banter'.

This will be why she doesn't want you to report it. She knows he will know it's come from her. He's such an idiot.

There's a world of difference between filthy talk and the known crimes of WC before he was arrested. These men are also presumably not in the Police or other body where such high standards are expected.

There is no evidence that WC would not have committed the crimes if he had been fired either.

I got severely burned by reporting appalling behaviour where negligence was leading to injuries and possibly worse (so worse than the OP is describing). I thought I was doing the right thing. All my colleagues said I was doing the right thing, until it bit me on the arse.

There men are lowlifes, I get that but it needs all of them to stand up and report this or none of them in this situation. It's just the way life is. It could dog OP for a long time. When people get revenge for stuff like this, it is hidden but the effects are still the same.

That is a fair enough comment.

It isn't irrelevant, unfortunately

Ewwwwwww, what disgusting, useless, gormless pigs these men are.
Only good for the abattoir. I hope they get the sack.

Most UK companies do have rules about what employees can say about colleagues, clients or the business on social media and that extends to apps like WhatsApp.

Fortunately, you are wrong.

Report it.
Let your employer decide how they want to take your complaint forward. You don’t owe these men the protection your friend is encouraging you to provide.

Men are disgusting pigs, and these vile chats should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Then I was right, she's only wanting you to do her dirty work for you as she is bitter the affair has ended otherwise she would have shown you when she first saw it last year. I would be very wary of getting involved.

Generally the test is if they only know each other through work. Not cut and dry but in certain situations private WhatsApp messages between colleagues can be evidence in employment disciplinary processes https://redmans.co.uk/insights/employee-monitoring-can-i-be-sacked-over-a-whatsapp-message/#:~:text=They%20should%20inform%20employees%20about,and%20pertinent%20to%20the%20matter.

Generally the test is if they only know each other through work. Not cut and dry but in certain situations private WhatsApp messages between colleagues can be evidence in employment disciplinary processes. There’s also been a number of cases where off duty conduct has been relevant.

https://redmans.co.uk/insights/employee-monitoring-can-i-be-sacked-over-a-whatsapp-message/#:~:text=They%20should%20inform%20employees%20about,and%20pertinent%20to%20the%20matter.

It’s not just the poster of these vile messages but the acceptance by all others in the group- this should be a major concern to any reputable organisation. This is a workplace culture and it needs addressing quickly- from yr previous comment OP I’m guessing some of these people have management roles and should be challenging this pigswill not enabling it. Thank you for taking it further OP. Why have the other members of the group not reported these posts? They are all culpable . Ugh good luck OP

This would be a sacking offence at my workplace. Disgusting little shitbags. I’d report them to HR.

Isn’t it. The amount of people that think that you can can speak repulsively about a colleague to other colleagues because it’s on your on phone and one minute past 5pm is staggering.

what a Romeo!

op I agree report but take some advice from your union first.

Generally the test is if they only know each other through work. Not cut and dry but in certain situations private WhatsApp messages between colleagues can be evidence in employment disciplinary processes. There have also been a number of cases where off duty conduct has been relevant in employment cases.

https://redmans.co.uk/insights/employee-monitoring-can-i-be-sacked-over-a-whatsapp-message/#:~:text=They%20should%20inform%20employees%20about,and%20pertinent%20to%20the%20matter.

I have also posted about WC and his pals' private WhatsApp group and the things they were posting there which were not dissimilar to what the OP has been subjected to. All eventually subject to disciplinary proceedings and sacked.

As I said things like this are often the thin end of the wedge and to ignore it is dangerous and potentially more damaging than just being labelled as a grass.

You rely on a lot of what-ifs seemingly to try and deter the OP from reporting, and you seem to be determined to dismiss the evidence of other posters that this is a reportable offence in the workplace and that many (although I concede sadly not all) workplaces would take such a report extremely seriously.

I'm sorry for your experience but it's not a reason for nobody else to ever report a concern.

It’s on social media. The discussion involved sexualising the women they worked with in the most disgusting way, so it’s an extension of the workplace and contributes to a hostile workplace. Of course it’s an HR matter. Would you like to have to work alongside a male colleague you knew had talked about you in that way ?

I'm not saying it's not reportable but one person sticking their neb out is not without risks. It depends on the workplace entirely.

OP will know the risks and rewards in her particular circumstance but an awful lot of people that blow the whistle regret it and in this economy, I think she would be well advised to take a lot of views into consideration.