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"A system…for Retaliation, Bullying [and] Intimidation:" A Survey of Operating Room Employee Perceptions of the Impact of Online Coworker Reporting Systems on Workplace Ethics and Employee Wellness
Journal article   Peer reviewed

"A system…for Retaliation, Bullying [and] Intimidation:" A Survey of Operating Room Employee Perceptions of the Impact of Online Coworker Reporting Systems on Workplace Ethics and Employee Wellness

Laura A Shinkunas, Maxwell T Lieberman, Kristine Corkum, Taylor Perry, Cody Dalton, Catherine Hunter and Erica M Carlisle
The Journal of surgical research, Vol.315, pp.803-817
10/29/2025
DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2025.09.078
PMID: 41172639

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Abstract

Hospitals offer coworker reporting systems to empower employees to report unsafe/unprofessional behavior. The impact of reporting systems on workplace ethics and employee wellness remains unexplored. Evaluating the impact of these systems is particularly important in high-stress work environments. Here, we assess operating room (OR) staff attitudes toward coworker reporting systems, and the impact these systems have on workplace ethics and employee wellness. A mixed-methods, cross-sectional study electronically surveying OR employees at three US academic medical centers. A total of 280 responses were received (67% attendings, 19% trainees, and 14% staff). Briefly, 33% of the respondents had used their institution's online reporting system to report a coworker; 38% had been reported. Twenty-four percent of the respondents felt that their concerns were addressed through the reporting system, and 13% thought that their coworker's behavior changed after the report. Forty-eight percent of the respondents witnessed reporting systems being used for retaliation, bullying, or intimidation. Being reported negatively impacted wellness (80%), attitudes toward coworkers (75%), attitudes toward the institution (73%), and interactions with coworkers (51%). Reported employees were more likely to feel bullied by coworkers (15% reported/4% not reported, P = 0.002), to fear retribution if they spoke up about a concern (28% reported/8% not reported, P < 0.001), to have considered quitting due to moral distress (17% reported/4% not reported, P ≤ 0.001), to report working within power hierarchies that compromise patient care (22% reported/11% not reported, P = 0.021), and to experience lack of administrative support (32% reported/12% not reported, P < 0.001). Online coworker reporting systems negatively impact OR employee perceptions of wellness and workplace ethics, fail to address concerns, and provide pathways for retaliation, bullying, and intimidation.
 Surgery Disruptive behavior Reporting system Operating room Coworker

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