Do you whistle blow and/or complain? Or just suffer in silence?

[Dry Rot]

As the title, really.

If you see something that's not right, do you whistle blow or complain? Case histories would be interesting!

What have you complained about? Or do you just grumble in the hope someone else will pick it up and complain? Or just keep your head down, grit your teeth, and put up with it?

And, if you've whistle blown, were you made to suffer as a consequence? Let's hear about your successes…and dismal failures!

 

[wren123]

No I haven't complained about a really life threatening mistake that happened on the NHS to my mum. She didn't want to complain because she is of that generation that if a doctor says jump, she says how high!
I wasn't after money at all, to be honest whatever they pay would not conpensate for her remaining years to be effectively housebound. I wanted to complain to get them to sharpen up their procedures so an xray which revealed a life threatening condition, was not ignored for a year, despite my mum and I phoning up to chase and her symptons getting worse. I wouldn't want it to happen to someone else, the consultant did wholeheartedly apologise but nothing done to ensure xray doesn't got lost in the system again.

 

[horsefeed]

Generally I am quite an outspoken person and often speak my mind regardless of others opinions. It can land me in hot water but people either love me or hate me for it.
With regards to horses, its my yard, I have who I want on it and do things my way, if they don't like it they know where the gate is! I have 6 horses, 2 are loaned out but stayed as liveries and 2 DIY livery horses owned by 1 owner. We get on really well but taken over 4 years to get right mix of people.

 

[L&M]

I am afraid I am a 'suffer in silence' type, but very occasionally I will blow, and then it isn't pretty!

That's why I love the forum as you can rant and let it all out.....

 

[Antw23uk]

Why do you want to know?

 

[millikins]

i recently posted here about a horse I was unhappy with. I blew and there has been a successful result. As regards employment though, more difficult; I have been involved in a serious dispute at work which resulted in taking the company to a tribunal, (I was a member of the group though not the leader). There, win or lose I think you end up leaving since any trust in the system is broken.

 

[windand rain]

learned a very long time ago unless it is vital to keep my mouth shut if possible as it is invariably you that gets the flack not the culprit. Very hard sometimes I must admit especially if the culprit is making your life miserable in the first place

 

[Marydoll]

Sorry wind and rain i disagree, to say nothing breeds resentment, but if complaining at work, change the wording to addressing concerns and follow the employers policies to cover you and the company for making the complaint through the correct channels

 

[STRIKER]

Depends, i kinda tack the cuck and put up with it but when i have had enough then all hell breaks loose, and everyone looks at me in amazement because gee she is the happy go lucky, always helping others and you can cuck on her all you like and she doesnt do anything, then they keep away from me because i have scared them. You are damn right you have abused me for months, years, walked all over me with no thought to my feelings, dynamite comes in small packages.

However if it was something that was making my life miserable and i was losng weight, spending money i didnt want to, loosing sleep and my work and home life were affected, then i would raise a grievance.

 

[windand rain]

Having been on the receiving end of a lot of abuse I can assure you that it rarely works in your favour to complain. Yes it breeds resentment but I have been forced out of some jobs and given up on quite a few friendships to speak my mind when really pushed. Not worth having in my view but if you are sensitive and kind, getting stabbed in the back hurts Still I keep turning my back for more knives so I obviously don't learn

 

[applecart14]

Generally I am quite an outspoken person and often speak my mind regardless of others opinions. It can land me in hot water but people either love me or hate me for it. .

I am like this, and have lost a lot of friends due to it. But I was taught the verse "whatever you are be that, whatever you are be true, be nobody else but you". My Grandma put it in my autograph book when I was about 14 and I haven't forgotten it although I have forgotten most of the words.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Depends on what it is, many years ago I worked in various psychiatric, general and learning disability hospitals often living in the staff accomodation. In 2 of the hospitals (psychiatric and learning disabilities) I witnessed sexual and physical abuse of the residents and theft on a grand scale by staff.Did I open my mouth about any of it?
You bet I did and paid the price, threats, car vandalised and life made a misery in general. One account of many of the sexual abuse incidents I knew about was on a woman with a mental age of 8 by a male member of staff who lived in on the floor above mine, he had a pass key he used to let himself into the woman's accomodation to abuse her late at night. Was it taken seriously by my female manager?
No, I was told "well if he's found doing it he'll lose his job and place to live, where would he go?" there were lots of cover ups that I won't bore you with but when people don't take you seriously or you get threatened by the people committing the offences it makes you wonder why you bother.

 

[Dry Rot]

Why do you want to know?

A good question that deserves an answer!

I was watching this TV program on Tuesday evening (http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/may/24/the-complainers-filipa-jodelka) and it got me thinking. The subject was about complaints to London Transport. I was impressed with the explanation given by the LT representative to Traffic Droid (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/acti...yclist-fighting-for-justice-on-our-roads.html) that he might achieve more if he was polite to erring drivers rather than hurling abuse at them!

I am definitely a complainer/whistle blower. But I do try (sometimes without success!) to be polite and objective. But what really does annoy me is when people use abuse, shouting, or lies (or just choose to ignore, which is just as rude) to cover up their mistakes or incompetence. As an ex-army colonel advised me, I just keep on asking the question, if necessary going up the management ladder, until I get an acceptable answer. After all, if they don't know there is a problem, they can't solve it!

 

[FairyLights]

I always whistleblow, even lost jobs through it, but I refuse to be a part of mistreatment/abuse. keeping quiet does nothing to help the victim only the perpetrator

 

[julie111]

I tend to shut up and get on with it unless it is to the detriment of my loved ones or pony.

 

[blackandwhite]

As a student nurse on a mental health placement I identified a discrepancy between a patient's prescription and what was actually being administered to them. I, being a conscientious student aware that mistakes happen, pointed it out. My god did I pay the price for that. That was the single most appalling experience of my life and the reason I stopped being a student nurse. I could not be involved with a profession that treats people, staff and patients, so badly. I did nothing wrong but I was totally ostracised and drove home in tears every day. Life's too short.
In horse terms I'll quite happily complain. I just wish the full livery clients who have complaints would takethem to the staff rather than bounce them off me!

 

[Sukistokes2]

I stayed quiet about a bully at work, she was my line manager, she was terrible, I was in her office at least once a day being shouted at and called names. I thought I was a strong person but when your job is on the lineand you have horses to feed.....well!?
This went on for nearly a year, I was run down to the point of illness. It must of shown because a more senior manager finally noticed and rang me at home, she arranged a meeting and then carefully got the whole story out of me. This wonderful person then put in a support network for me and made it clear to my boss and more importantly to me that she saw me as a valued member of staff, bully backed off. I was able to do my job in peace, I was also able to sleep at night.
I really wish I had spoken out before I had been made to feel so bad about myself and before the situation had made me ill. I should have trusted those people where I work that I had known for some time. It is much better now and my boss treats me, to my face, like a human being. What she does behind my back I could not care less about. Lesson learnt.

 

[Marydoll]

As a student nurse on a mental health placement I identified a discrepancy between a patient's prescription and what was actually being administered to them. I, being a conscientious student aware that mistakes happen, pointed it out. My god did I pay the price for that. That was the single most appalling experience of my life and the reason I stopped being a student nurse. I could not be involved with a profession that treats people, staff and patients, so badly. I did nothing wrong but I was totally ostracised and drove home in tears every day. Life's too short.
In horse terms I'll quite happily complain. I just wish the full livery clients who have complaints would takethem to the staff rather than bounce them off me!

That is a hellish situation that shouldnt have been allowed to continue, the profession needs more people like you, they should have followed their sop's for medication administaration, dignity at work and bullying. As a student you should have been removed from that ward and the perpetrators dealt with as appropriate

 

[EquestrianFairy]

I'm a complainer, wholeheartedly!

I've never had to whistleblow as I've just never come across a situation where needed to but I will complain if I am unhappy.

However I have once complained when in placement to my practice assessor who was in no way linked to my placement.. She voiced my concerns and then they tried to fail my placement (made my life hell).
My Uni lecturer had to come in to tell them that they can't fail me just because they disliked something I said.. Suffice to say i quit Uni after that because it obliterated all the love I thoight I had for that profession.
I sometimes have to visit that same establishment in my current job to see people and I still get a butterfly feeling when I walk in the door or I make every excuse available to get clients who are there to come and see me in the office instead.

 

[Dry Rot]

I complained, regularly, about my neighbour's straying livestock. He was/is one of the local "good ole boys" so the powers that be would not prosecute. Then a motorcyclist was killed. I was called as a witness at the fatal accident inquiry as apparently I had made 23 complaints about the strays. I wish I had complained more. At least the blockage in the justice system was removed and is now working as a private solicitor and there was more new fencing erected in a year than had been erected in the previous 20.

I also complained when I was in hospital A day room stinking of urine, toilets not cleaned regularly, and dinner plates with congealed food stuck to them from the last meal. I got a rude response to my complaint through the official procedure virtually telling me to go forth and multiply and the surgeon described me as "the person who hates everybody"! So, basically, intimidation. A couple of years later and there was a big scare about MRSA, possibly more although nothing was said. The hospital is now spotless.

Sometimes I think we don't shout enough. It is a pity when innocent people have to get hurt before something is done.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I once whistleblew on a boss for beating a horse-no consequences there for me.
In two jobs (one horsey, one not) I have kicked up a fuss about unequal wages (one between sexes, one for new employees doing the same job as older ones). Made a name for myself as a troublemaker on the racing yard, got backdated pay rise for all existing workers in the second one

 

[spacie1977]

If it's just a moan due to difference of opinion, then I grumble to myself and no-one else (I can't stand bitching). If it warrants a grumble to the person responsible for something I think is wrong/numpty/could do better next time, then I don't usually have any problems voicing my 'concerns'. But I'm also pretty chilled out so often just take a deep break and let things slide.
I have caused major havoc in the past to my whistle blowing. Someone lost their job and lots of customers left the business on the first occasion, the second time the whole business was shut down. It made life uncomfortable for a while as the guilty clubbed together for a good bitch about me and tried to intimidate me. The first whistle blowing actually contributing to me breaking up with my sons father and moving to another country. But in my mind, if I know there's something seriously wrong, I follow my gut and make sure something is done about it. Regardless of any consequences I may face, there's no way I could just stand by and keep my mouth shut, especially if it's putting people/animals at risk. I'll probably end up being known as 'the difficult/moaning old bat' when the day comes that I'm sent off to a nursing home. But at least I'll have a clear conscience for it.

 

[DiNozzo]

I hate the idea of people being taken advantage of, and try really hard not to let that happen, in the workplace, at the yard etc.
I'll complain if anything is dangerous and can be changed.
I'll complain if someone has been put into a position where they shouldn't have been.
And, I'll complain if someone isn't taking responsibility for their actions. I agree everyone makes mistakes, but people need to learn to manage them correctly, and learn from them. Hiding and lying about things make it 100 times worse.

I always complain about general rudeness- there is just never any need for it.

I do try to give recommendation on how to improve if I'm complaining directly to the person, and if not, I tell their superior one nice/good thing they did too- well, if there was one!

 

[STRIKER]

Too many folk nowadays put their head down and ignore, the more people who stood up and shouted this isnt right, the more something would be done about it and maybe respect would come back.

 

[lastchancer]

I am generally quite able to stick up for myself and others when required so I'm not one for telling tales. However in the case of serious and wilful misconduct, especially if it to another persons detriment then I would have no hesitation whatsoever in blowing that whistle good and hard.
There's an idiot at work whom I am just waiting to give me enough to drop him in the ****, which I will do so and I'll hold his head under too.

 

[YorksG]

Have whistleblown at work, more than once, nearly always with repercussions for me. I have also reported animals in poor condition.
I do believe in both the quotes in my sig.

 

[spacie1977]

There's an idiot at work whom I am just waiting to give me enough to drop him in the ****, which I will do so and I'll hold his head under too.

This made me chuckle. Good on you lastchancer, bust their balls!

 

[x-di-x]

I'll complain for a member of my family. Did for my oh when he was very ill in hospital with suspected cancer. The lack of urgency for what was, as the hospital described, advanced and end stage was shocking...... Turned out they were wrong and when the actually did the tests and not speculated he had ecoli 0157 not cancer!

Complained, complained and complained about local education departments anti bullying policy after my son was badly affected by bullying..... Got the council to change there whole policy.

Various other things too... But I will not complain for myself. I 'don't like to cause a fuss'

I whistle blew once at work...... I was made feel sooooo small and guilty,

 

[Zero00000]

Mrs Major Moaner is me!

I do say something, too many people suffer in silence, Im mainly talking work, for instance we was told we had to ask for loo breaks, and could be declined and we had 2 mins to make it to the toilet, do your biz' and back to our desks, also could be refused breaks and had lunch shortened.
I checked out the legalities of it and got onto HR, abolished before it even started.
I also will not stand by and watch someone get bullied, watch someone get beaten up.

I just like to moan haha!

Yes it has got me in hot water, but nothing I cannot handle!!

 

[Illusion100]

For me, it depends on the situation, the severity of it and the probability of the consequences/results if I complained or kept quiet. Also the experience, knowledge and temperament of people involved plays an important part.

I also never argue with a fool, as people might not be able to tell the difference.

Generally an easy going, each to their own, tactful kind of person but I never forget anything that is done or said, whether that be positive or negative, though I tend to play dumb about that. I never like most people to know what I'm thinking.

I always try to step back and look at the bigger picture and what would be the best way to make a positive change depending on all the factors involved. If I see slim chance of improvement, I rarely bother. A significant chance of improvement, I will put my opinion across. I will always put my opinion across in the way I believe that a particular person(s) would relate/respond to best.

I also generally do not worry about a situation that will never change, look to focusing on the positives and work from there.