Majority of employers  failing to use misconduct data

Most UK employers are collecting workplace misconduct data but are failing to use it proactively to identify patterns and prevent future issues, according to new research from Culture Shift.

The findings come ahead of strengthened legal duties taking effect in October 2026, when employers of all sizes will be required to demonstrate they have taken “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment. The research suggests many organisations may still have work to do to evidence a preventative approach.

A survey of 300 senior HR professionals found that only 43 per cent of organisations regularly use reporting insights to inform preventative action. While 42 per cent said they do so occasionally, 15 per cent admitted they rarely or never use misconduct data to help prevent future workplace issues.

The research also found that only 41 per cent of organisations consistently aggregate and analyse misconduct or speak-up data to identify patterns. A further 41 per cent do so only occasionally, while 18 per cent either do not analyse their data at all or are unsure whether this happens within their organisation.

Culture Shift’s findings suggest that while many employers have established reporting processes, fewer are using the resulting data to identify recurring issues, emerging risks or trends that could help prevent misconduct before it escalates.

How organisations manage this information also remains a challenge. Two-thirds (67 per cent) of employers still rely on manual methods such as Word documents or spreadsheets to manage misconduct or speak-up data, while 6 per cent do not collate the data at all. Almost a quarter (22 per cent) manage all misconduct and speak-up data entirely through manual processes.

Gemma McCall, Co-founder and CEO of Culture Shift, said: “It’s positive that organisations are investing in reporting processes, and many are making real progress, but collecting data is really only the starting point. The real value and change comes from what organisations do with it – looking at reports collectively, identifying trends, and using those insights to act before issues escalate.”

“Handling cases that have already happened is not the same as preventing them. The move from one to the other requires something that most organisations haven’t yet built: the analytical discipline to treat every report as a data point, not just a problem to resolve.”

The findings come at a time when employers are facing increased scrutiny over how they prevent workplace harassment and misconduct, with growing emphasis on identifying risks early rather than responding after incidents occur.

The findings are published in the Culture Shifters Report 26/27, which combines research with 300 senior HR professionals and 1,060 UK employees to examine reporting, prevention, compliance and workplace culture across UK organisations.