What does a confidant do?

What is a confidant?

A confidant is a person designated to provide support, advice and guidance to individuals within a company or organization who are facing personal or professional challenges, such as harassment, intimidation, violence, discrimination or other conflicts.

What does a confidant do

The confidant acts as a neutral and trusted figure, safeguarding the privacy of conversations and helping individuals explore possible solutions or steps to address what they are facing. In organizations, this role often consists of creating a safe environment, providing a listening ear, raising awareness about the work environment and offering support in going through informal and formal grievance procedures, if necessary.

What is the definition of a confidant?

The definition of a confidant is:

A professional or designated person within an organization or company who provides a safe and confidential space for employees to discuss personal or work-related problems, such as harassment, aggression, intimidation, discrimination or conflict. The confidential advisor provides support, guidance and advice and, if necessary, assists with informal and formal procedures while maintaining strict confidentiality and neutrality.

What is the essence of the role of the confidant?

The essence of the role of a confidant is to provide a safe, neutral and trustworthy point of contact for people facing challenges such as harassment, (sexual) intimidation, aggression, discrimination or conflicts in the workplace. The essence of the role of the confidant includes:

• Listen and support: the confidant provides a non-judgmental ear and emotional support.
• Confidentiality: the confidant ensures that all conversations remain private unless explicit permission is given to share information and take further action.
• Counseling: the confidant works with the employee to find possible solutions, with the employee always in control.
• Mediation: the confidant can assist the employee in discussions with management.
• Prevention: the promotion of awareness of undesirable behavior among the organization and its employees in order to prevent undesirable behavior.

The main goal of the confidant is to contribute to a respectful and inclusive organizational culture and thus a safe working environment.

What are the duties of a confidant?

A confidant’s duties include the following: Provide a listening ear: Provide a safe and non-judgmental space for employees to share their concerns or experiences, such as harassment, intimidation, discrimination or conflicts in the workplace.

• Provide guidance: work with employees to find possible solutions, next steps or procedures for the concerns or experiences expressed.

• Maintain confidentiality: all conversations with the confidential advisor are confidential unless explicit permission is given by the employee to share information.
• Conflict mediation: facilitating communication and understanding between those involved in order to reach a preferably informal resolution.
• Support formal procedures: Assist employees who wish to file a formal complaint, including explaining the process and providing emotional support.
• Raise awareness: promote understanding of workplace policies, rights and responsibilities to prevent undesirable behavior.
• Solicited and unsolicited advice to management: identify patterns or systemic problems and report trends (anonymously) to management to improve organizational policies and practices.
• Act as a liaison: Provide a bridge between employees and the organization while maintaining neutrality and impartiality.

What is the importance of a proactive confidant?

In practice, the role of the confidential advisor is traditionally often reactive and limited to listening to reports and supporting in complaint procedures. However, a confidential advisor can do much more for an organization. Partners in Vertrouwen believes in a proactive role of the confidential counsellor. A proactive confidential advisor does not wait for problems to arise or escalate. Instead, the confidential advisor is committed to identifying risks preventively, raising awareness among employees and the organization and thus contributing to sustainable solutions within the organization. Their role transcends individual conversations; they operate at the intersection of personal support, organizational culture and policy.

What does a proactive confidant do?

A proactive trustee focuses on three main pillars: awareness, prevention and intervention.

Raising awareness

A proactive confidant makes themselves visible and accessible within the organization. This means that employees know who they are, what their role is and when to contact them. This visibility is actively promoted through, for example:

• The organization of workshops and trainings on transgressive behavior, integrity and psychological safety.
• informing employees about complaints and reporting procedures and their rights.
• facilitating low-threshold conversations that lower the barrier to seeking help.

Preventive action

Prevention is an important aspect of the proactive approach. This means that the confidant picks up signals before they escalate. Consider recognizing tensions within a team, patterns of undesirable behavior or signs of unsafe work environments. By reporting these signals to management-without violating confidentiality-managers or HR departments can take timely action. In addition, confidants play an important role in advising on policies. They can be helpful in drafting or updating codes of conduct, complaint procedures, reporting schemes and training.

Intervention and guidance

Intervention is also an important part of the work of the confidant. The confidant guides reporters in sharing their experiences and helps them find solutions and determine further follow-up steps. But the proactive approach goes further:

• they ensure that reports are followed up, paying attention to the interests of both the reporter and the organization.
• they evaluate incidents and advise management on how to prevent recurrence.

Why is proactivity important?

Prevention is better than cure

Many transgressive behavior and integrity issues arise from a lack of awareness or a culture where transgressive behavior is ignored. Proactive confidants can break this culture by making abuses discussable before they get out of hand.

Building trust

A confidant who is visible and actively invests in relationships within the organization builds trust. Employees know there is someone who takes them seriously and understands the organization. This lowers the barrier to seeking help.

Contributing to a healthy organizational culture

By continuously working on awareness and prevention, the proactive confidant contributes to a safe working environment where employees feel valued and respected. This not only enhances employee well-being, but also the organization’s performance and reputation.

What requirements can you make of a proactive trustee?

Proactive action requires a fiduciary with a wide range of skills. In addition to empathy and discretion, strategic insight, understanding of the organization, communication strength and a good understanding of laws and regulations are needed. Moreover, proactivity requires a delicate balance: on the one hand, the confidant must not come across as intrusive; on the other hand, it is important to be assertive in raising potential risks. Another challenge is the level of support from the organization. Proactivity only works if management and HR take the confidant seriously and provide space to make structural improvements. The proactive confidant is a key figure in building a safe and ethical work environment. Organizations that invest in a proactive confidant show that they do not just want to resolve incidents, but want to contribute structurally to the well-being of their employees. In a world where employees have higher demands for social safety and integrity, this shift from reactive to proactive is not only desirable, but necessary. A proactive confidant makes the difference between putting out fires and building an organization in which fires simply don’t start anymore.

What can you turn to a confidant for?

You can contact a confidant for a variety of issues, including:

• Harassment: experiences of verbal, physical or sexual harassment in the workplace.

• Bullying: situations involving repeated and intentional behavior directed at an individual or group with the intent to cause harm, distress or harassment.
• Discrimination: unfair or unequal treatment based on gender, race, religion, age, disability or other personal characteristics.
• Harassment: behavior or actions intended to frighten, coerce or threaten someone, often for the purpose of creating fear or forcing someone to act in a certain way.
• Sexual harassment: threats or coercive behavior to sexually affect someone.
• Aggression: hostile or violent behavior, actions or attitudes intended to harm, threaten or intimidate others.
• Conflicts: disputes or tensions that affect your well-being or work performance.
• Integrity issues: report or discuss social wrongdoing such as fraud, theft, corruption, violations of law.
• Work pressure or stress: overwhelming workload or unhealthy work environments.
• Advice on procedures: guidance on filing a formal complaint.
• Decision-making support: exploring options for solutions without feeling pressured.

The confidant provides a safe, neutral and environment to discuss concerns and experiences and offers support.

What can’t you turn to a confidant for?

You cannot use a confidant for the following:

• Non-work-related issues: personal problems unrelated to work, such as family issues or private financial matters, unless they affect your work environment.
• Therapy or counseling: the confidant is not a coach, psychologist or therapist. However, if appropriate, the confidant can refer.
• Legal advice: the confidant is not a lawyer and will not provide legal guidance.
• HR issues: cases such as payroll disputes, contract disputes or routine HR matters are beyond their scope.
• Functioning of the employee: for matters concerning the functioning of an employee or work performance, the direct supervisor or HR is the contact person. There is no role for the confidential advisor here.

Who can use a confidant?

In principle, anyone within an organization who is dealing with transgressive behavior or integrity issues can seek the help of a confidential advisor. This usually includes:

• Employees: full-time, part-time or temporary employees can turn to the Confidential Advisor for support if they are facing transgressive behavior in the workplace or integrity issues.
• Trainees or interns: interns or trainees working within the organization also have the right to seek help if they experience problems in the workplace.
• Volunteers: volunteers can also turn to the confidant for support.
• Contract workers: individuals working under a cooperative contract, such as self-employed workers or consultants, may also use the services of the confidential advisor, depending on the policy of the organization.

In short, anyone within the organizational structure, whether temporarily or permanently employed, can go to a confidential advisor to discuss work-related issues in a safe, confidential and supportive environment.

What should a confidant not do?

A confidant must operate within certain boundaries to remain effective and neutral. Actions a confidant may not take are:

• Violating confidentiality: the confidant may not disclose information shared by an employee without explicit consent, except in cases where there is a legal obligation (e.g., criminal matters)

• Taking sides: the confidant must be impartial.
• Decision making: the confidant is not authorized to make formal decisions about disciplinary measures or remedies; the role of the confidant is supportive.
• Forcing employees to act: the confidant may not pressure an employee to make a formal complaint or take specific actions against his or her will.
• Acting as legal representative: the confidant does not give legal advice or represent an employee in legal proceedings.
• Get involved in organizational processes: the confidant should not interfere with formal HR processes or management decisions.
• Substitute professional services: the fiduciary is not a therapist, coach or mediator and should not provide services beyond his or her scope.

By respecting these boundaries, a confidant maintains integrity, neutrality and reliability within the organization.

What is the importance of confidentiality and independence of the confidant for the confidant, employee and organization?

Confidentiality and independence is essential to properly perform the role of confidant. This means:

For the confidant:

• Credibility: confidentiality ensures that the consultant is seen as a trustworthy and neutral figure.
• Effective functioning: independence allows them to act without external pressure, operate unbiased and provide genuine support.

For the employee:

• Security and trust: confidentiality allows employees to feel safe sharing personal or sensitive issues without fear of disclosure or unpleasant consequences.
• Fair support: independence guarantees impartial support and assistance, free from organizational or managerial influences.

For the organization:

• Safe reporting culture: employees are more likely to report problems in the know if confidentiality and neutrality are guaranteed.
• Cultural integrity: independence promotes a culture of honesty and transparency and reduces favoritism or conflicts of interest.
• Risk mitigation: confidentiality and independence minimize legal and reputational consequences

Why is a confidant important within an organization?

A confidant is important within an organization because they can contribute to a safe working environment. The presence of a confidant within an organization, whether internal or external, encourages employees to raise sensitive issues of sexual harassment or integrity concerns without fear of being approached or judged. A confidant can help identify and address unwanted workplace etiquette and integrity issues before they escalate, reducing the risk of legal problems or damage to the organization’s reputation. The confidant encourages open communication within the organization. Employees are more likely to raise concerns if they know there is a neutral, trustworthy person to whom they can turn. This improves transparency and trust within the organization. The presence of a trusted person within an organization improves employee well-being. By providing support and guidance, a confidant helps employees navigate through a difficult situation, which can reduce stress, improve morale and increase overall well-being. A confidant ensures that workplace issues are addressed appropriately, reducing the risk of lawsuits related to sexual harassment or integrity issues. It promotes a focus on inclusiveness and respect. The presence of a confidential advisor demonstrates the organization’s commitment to fair treatment, diversity and respect for all employees, which is crucial to maintaining a positive work culture. The confidential advisor also supports the organization in the area of laws and regulations concerning a good PSA policy and ensures that the organization has its code of conduct, complaints procedure and reporting system in order, so that it is clear to employees where they can go if they are confronted with undesirable behavior or integrity issues.

What is the difference between an internal and external confidant?

The difference between an internal and external confidant lies mainly in their connection with the organization and the degree of neutrality they provide:

Internal confidant:

• Affiliation: an internal confidant is part of the organization, often from the HR department or other departments such as management or senior employees.
• Familiarity with the organization: an internal confidant is familiar with the culture, policies and procedures of the organization.
• Potential bias: because the internal confidant works within the organization, employees may feel there is a conflict of interest, especially in hierarchical situations or sensitive issues.
• Accessibility: an internal confidant may be more accessible and trustworthy to employees because they are part of the organization.

External confidant:

• Affiliation: An outside confidant is by definition independent and completely separate from the organization.
• Neutrality: an outside confidant can provide a higher level of neutrality and impartiality because they are not influenced by internal politics or the structure of the organization. Employees will feel more comfortable sharing sensitive issues without fear of bias or internal conflicts of interest.
• Familiarity with the organization: the external confidant will master the specific organizational culture, and brings extensive experience and objectivity in dealing with workplace problems.
• Confidentiality: employees may feel more confident in discussing their problems with an outside confidant because there is less risk of information being shared within the organization, thus ensuring a higher level of confidentiality.
• Expertise and experience: external confidants often have specialized training and experience in dealing with sexual harassment and integrity issues.
• Increased trust: the presence of an external confidant can increase trust in the system, as employees can feel that they are being listened to by someone who is not influenced by internal hierarchies or organizational dynamics.
• Improved work culture: an outside confidant can provide valuable insights into organizational culture with an open mind and recommend improvements based on their broader experience working with different organizations.

Is it mandatory for an organization to have a trustee?

Currently, it is not (yet) a legal requirement for organizations with fewer than 50 employees to have a confidential advisor. However, it is strongly recommended. The bill concerning the obligation for organizations to appoint a confidential advisor is currently still before the Senate for approval. However, if an organization has more than 50 employees, the organization is obliged under the Whistleblower Protection Act to appoint a confidential advisor. This may be an internal or external confidential advisor. Under the Occupational Health & Safety Act, every employer, regardless of the size of the organization, must have an RI&E (Risk Inventory & Evaluation) and a proper PSA policy. Every employer must have a health and safety policy aimed at creating optimal and safe working conditions. Based on the RI&E, the organization can shape its PSA (Psycho Social Workload) policy. The abbreviation RI&E stands for Risk Inventory and Evaluation. The RI&E should describe all occupational risks in the organization. One of these risks are risks resulting from undesirable behavior or integrity issues. These risks must therefore be included in an RI&E. Once all risks have been identified, a plan of action should be written to mitigate these risks, the PSA policy.

For a good PSA policy, the following measures could be taken:

• Appointment of a confidential advisor.
• Drafting a Code of Conduct. Define what is desirable behavior and how employees treat each other and customers. Include here how the organization deals with undesirable behavior and implement it when necessary.
• Establishing a grievance procedure for sexual harassment so that employees can formally file their complaints.
• Establishment of a reporting scheme (required under the Whistleblower Protection Act for organizations with more than 50 employees)
• Employee Satisfaction Survey (MTO), through a questionnaire to be distributed to all employees in order to gain insight into employee well-being within the organization.
• Educate employees about psychosocial workload. For example, about manners. Discuss concerns of your employees, how they recognize it and what the consequences may be.

Although the Occupational Health and Safety Act does not explicitly require the appointment of a confidential advisor, the Occupational Health and Safety Act does encourage organizations to provide employees with a safe and confidential way to report sexual harassment and integrity issues. Many organizations therefore choose to appoint a confidential advisor to meet the requirement for a good PSA policy and thus ensure compliance with the law.

How do you choose a confidant?

The first choice facing an organization is whether to choose an internal confidential advisor or an external confidential advisor. The most important criterion here is to what extent independence of the confidential advisor is important to the organization. For the difference between an internal and external confidential advisor, please refer to Chapter 12. Other selection criteria that are important include: experience in conflict resolution, communication skills, impartiality and familiarity with the organization’s policy. Internal or external appointment: The advisor can be chosen from within the organization (e.g., HR professionals, senior employees) or an external party (e.g., an independent trustee organization). To ensure complete neutrality and independence, an external confidential advisor is often preferred. Once the choice of confidant is made, the organization should announce the appointment to all employees, clearly explaining the role of the confidant, confidentiality rules and how to contact them.

What requirements can you make of a trustee?

What makes a confidant really good? The answer goes beyond offering a listening ear and ensuring confidentiality. A good confidant must be able to offer the following:

• Proactivity: A good confidant does not wait for an employee to knock on the door with a problem. Proactivity means spotting, creating awareness and promoting a culture of safety. This requires visibility within the organization. A confidential advisor who makes themselves known, initiates training on transgressive behavior or actively informs employees contributes to an environment where problems are prevented rather than resolved. Proactivity also means addressing trends. Consider recognizing subtle patterns in reports that may indicate structural problems, such as an unsafe work atmosphere in certain departments. A proactive confidant discusses these signals with the organization in a timely manner, without violating confidentiality, and thus encourages a culture of improvement.
• Emotional Intelligence: A confidant must possess the ability to pick up on signals that another person does not express directly. Unspoken feelings, such as fear, shame or anger, require a keen antenna. The confidant must not only listen, but also ask further questions without judging.
• Integrity: trust begins with reliability. A confidant must strictly adhere to confidentiality agreements and never harm the interests of the reporter. This requires not only a strong ethical stance, but also the ability to remain independent even when pressure is applied by management or other parties. The confidant is not an extension of the organization, but an independent pillar of support for the reporter.
• Communication skills: counseling a reporter requires excellent communication skills. This includes not only providing a listening ear, but also clearly explaining options, giving honest feedback and discussing complex situations. In addition, a confidant must remain calm in emotionally charged conversations and make the reporter feel that their story is safe.
• Legal and Procedural Knowledge: a good confidential counsellor has sufficient knowledge of relevant laws and regulations, such as the Whistleblowers Protection Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act and internal codes of conduct, complaint procedures and reporting arrangements. This knowledge enables the confidential advisor to guide the reporter through formal steps, if necessary.
• Analytical thinking skills: the ability to analyze psychological processes, power dynamics and organizational culture, allowing advice to be better tailored to the context of both the reporter and the organization.
• Professional neutrality: a confidant should not take sides. While empathy is essential, there must always be a balance between personal involvement and professional distance. Neutrality ensures that the confidant remains credible, not only to the reporter, but also to other stakeholders and the organization.
• Complete independence: the confidential advisor must operate completely independently at all times. This is usually best guaranteed with an external confidential advisor.
• Creating safety: the foundation of the role is psychological safety. People must not only feel safe to go to the confidant, but also to share their deepest concerns and experiences. This means a confidant must consciously work to remove barriers, such as fear of reprisal or stigma.
• Reflection and education: finally, for a confidential counsellor to be effective, he or she must be willing to learn continuously. Regular training, peer review with other confidants and reflection on one’s own actions are essential. Society, and with it the workplace, is constantly changing. New challenges, such as cross-border behavior in the online sphere, require constant adaptation.

A good confidant is not a standard position; it is a role that requires exceptional qualities. The quality of a good confidant transcends the basic skills of listening and empathy. The above qualities enable the confidant to act proactively and thus also contribute strategically and preventively to a healthy organizational culture. Organizations that choose a confidant with these qualities are investing in the future. They not only prevent escalations and damage, but also build trust, integrity and well-being in the workplace. A good confidant is thus not only a safe haven for the employee, but also a strategic partner for the organization as a whole.

Confidant a cost?

The role of an external confidential counselor in organizations is growing. Psychosocial work pressure (PSA) is a continuing point of attention for employers. By appointing an external confidential counselor, organizations can take an important step towards ensuring a safe working environment. But how should we view the costs of such an appointment? The appointment of an external confidential counselor should be seen as part of an integrated approach. It is not a luxury, but a necessary expense to guarantee the health and safety of employees. The indirect benefits of an external confidential counselor are considerable. Think of better working relationships, more confidence in management, reduced absenteeism and a decrease in staff turnover. Organizations that take PSA seriously have a better chance of attracting and retaining talent. In a tight labor market, this can be a crucial competitive advantage. The costs of an external confidential counselor should not only be seen in the context of risks, but also as a strategic investment in an attractive, future-proof safe working environment. Appointing an external confidential counselor is not a passive insurance against problems, but an active step towards a healthier organizational culture. It is an investment in prevention, trust and well-being, and thus in the long-term sustainability of the organization. The challenge lies in seeing this measure as an integral part of a broad and effective PSA policy.

Why choose Partners in Vertrouwen?

At Partners in Vertrouwen, we understand the impact of sexual harassment and integrity issues on both the employee and the organization. With our years of experience and in-depth knowledge of both the human side and organizational processes, we provide a safe and professional environment to address these issues. We believe in the importance of open communication, providing appropriate guidance, and creating a culture where undesirable behavior can be discussed. Our holistic approach ensures that we not only solve problems, but also help prevent future issues, helping to build a positive, productive and safe work environment for everyone. Wondering what we can do? Feel free to contact us.