The call comes after they evaluated a programme developed to protect whistleblowers and restore employees' trust.
The Healing Process was developed by NHS Highlands and the Scottish Government, in response to recommendations laid out in the Sturrock Review. The independent review, commissioned following allegations of a bullying culture at NHS Highland, identified significant harms and suggested the health board develop a more restorative approach.
The guiding principles of the scheme were to emphasise restoration or healing with a person-centred focus, dealing with each case with kindness, compassion, empathy, equity, fairness and accountability, taking into account the interests of the participant. A core foundation of the programme was to design and develop it in partnership with victim groups.
As part of the evaluation, the researchers gathered data and insight from 272 participants of The Healing Process, 58% of whom are current employees and 42% ex-employees of NHS Highland with lived experience of the bullying culture within the health board.
Dr Jonathan Lord, senior lecturer in Human Resources Management and Employment Law at the University of Salford, said: ‘It's no secret that the NHS has long struggled with its culture around bullying, as well as whistleblowing, with the government recently forced to step in to launch a public consultation in an effort to end the culture of cover-ups.
‘However, putting a system in place in which people feel they can speak up without fear of retaliation can have a considerable positive impact on culture which we know, in turn, has a significant positive effect on an improved NHS service and patient outcomes."
People Genetics chief executive Tracy Boylin added: ‘It's time to move beyond the combative, legalistic approach to employment and embrace a more human-centric model - one that prioritises collaboration, respect, and shared success. When we treat employees as people, not just contracts, we foster a workplace where innovation thrives, trust deepens, and businesses grow sustainably.
‘A thriving workforce is the foundation of a thriving company. The Healing Process, through genuine collaboration and engagement with all stakeholders, did just that.'
Paul O'Donnell, managing director of CMP (Conflict Management Plus), added: ‘The research unequivocally illustrates the transformative impact that restorative schemes can have in rebuilding trust and addressing systemic bullying cultures. In a time when many sectors are confronting similar issues within their workplace environments and affected employees, the lessons learned from the Healing Process will be of immense value.'
The new report explores how a no blame approach can help address workplace disputes, while highlighting key takeaways for senior leaders to action. It recommends leaders view complaints as opportunities for improvement rather than threats, embedding a learning culture across the organisation.
The report also recommends establishing transparent monitoring by publishing data on recognised trends when it comes to complaints, as well as satisfaction metrics. In addition, suggestions are made on allocating resources for feedback training, investigator development, and learning from the recognised trends through regular reviews.
Dr Lord concluded: ‘By adopting the strategy laid out, we believe it will encourage those who do witness bullying in the workplace to speak up, while also assisting those who experience any form of problematic behaviour, ultimately tackling negative workplace cultures.
‘By scrutinising The Healing Process, we're setting it up for success and the long-term goal of rolling it across not only other NHS trusts, but also many other organisations to improve negative cultures. The general consensus from all participants was that while The Healing Process is a very fair and accessible approach to finding a personal resolution to the experience of workplace bullying, there's a real need for better implementation and accountability to ensure lasting improvements. This is also critical to ensuring victims of bullying and whistleblowers feel they can safely report instances of misconduct.'
The Healing Process: a restorative approach to resolving workplace disputes report is available to read here.
