TalentLMS, a leading employee training platform, published a new survey uncovering widespread gaps between how safe employees feel at work and the reality of organizational responses to misconduct. The survey of 1,000 U.S. employees highlights fear, silence, and uneven accountability as persistent workplace challenges.
While 71% of employees report feeling protected at work, many continue to experience or witness misconduct. The survey found that:
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36% witnessed and 33% experienced incivility or disrespect.
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29% witnessed and 24% experienced professional or social exclusion.
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25% witnessed and 21% experienced retaliation for speaking up.
The consequences are clear: 77% of employees said they would consider leaving their jobs if they felt unprotected, linking safety directly to retention.
Unequal Accountability Drives Fear
The survey revealed that accountability is inconsistent, especially for top performers or leaders:
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62% of employees believe misconduct is more likely overlooked when leaders are involved.
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45% reported seeing people promoted despite mistreating others.
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47% say managers discourage reporting harassment or discrimination.
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42% worry that speaking up would label them as “difficult.”
Unsurprisingly, 25% of employees admitted to not reporting incidents they witnessed or experienced, citing a belief that reporting wouldn’t help (56%) and fear of retaliation (36%).
Also Read: Deloitte Report: Human Skills Still a Key to High‑Performing Teams in the AI Era
Training as a Lever for Change
While compliance training remains valuable, gaps in relevance and access limit its effectiveness. 60% of employees said training improved behavior, yet 45% felt it didn’t reflect real-world situations, and only 33% received DEI training in the past year. Notably, 31% reported feeling less protected after reductions in DEI initiatives.
“Training influences how employees respond to situations they face at work,” said Theoni Velkou, Compliance Manager & Data Protection Officer at Epignosis, TalentLMS’ parent company. “When compliance training reflects real workplace scenarios, it helps people recognize misconduct, understand what steps they can take, and feel more comfortable speaking up. That kind of practical training builds stronger trust across the organization.”
The survey underscores the need for realistic, accessible training and consistent accountability to strengthen workplace safety and compliance readiness. TalentLMS offers tools such as the U.S. HR Compliance Bundle, in partnership with EasyLlama, to support organizations in bridging these gaps.
