- Key Takeaways
- Should You Report a Coworker?
- Pro- Protect Yourself
- Pro- Your Boss May Appreciate It
- Pro- May Help the Environment
- Con- Your Boss May Think You're a Tattletale
- Con- Your Co-Workers May Dislike You
- Con- Your Actions Could Backfire
- To Tell or Not to Tell
- Weighing the Impact of Reporting a Coworker
- Key Factors Before You Report Misconduct
- Deciding When Silence Is Riskier Than Speaking Up
- Further Guidance & Tools
- Next Steps
- Final Words
We may earn a commission if you click on a product link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
Last updated: November 24, 2025
Key Takeaways
- Evaluate seriousness: Assess whether the coworker’s behavior poses a legitimate risk to individuals, clients, or the organization before deciding whether to report it.
- Consider motivations: Reflect honestly on your reasons for speaking up to ensure your decision is driven by ethics and responsibility rather than frustration or personal conflict.
- Weigh consequences: Understand that reporting misconduct can affect workplace relationships,
team dynamics, and your own experience, both positively and negatively. - Seek clarity: Focus on facts, patterns, and firsthand observations rather than assumptions to avoid escalating misunderstandings or unverified concerns.
- Protect integrity: When behavior is clearly harmful or illegal, speaking up through appropriate channels helps safeguard your credibility and supports a healthier workplace.
Should You Report a Coworker?
Deciding whether to report a coworker is rarely simple, because the choice can influence your reputation, your
This must-read book offers a clear and practical examination of workplace ethics, empowering readers to understand and navigate complex issues around employee rights, fairness, and employer accountability.
Pro- Protect Yourself
Telling your boss about a co-worker’s bad behavior is one way to protect yourself. By telling your boss what is happening, it will help demonstrate that you aren’t participating in the behavior.
This can be especially important if the activity is harmful to the company or even illegal. For example, if you’ve got a co-worker stealing money from the company and you don’t tell, you may be held liable if you are aware of it.
Pro- Your Boss May Appreciate It
Most managers want to know what’s going on when they’re out of earshot. Managers are typically not privy to “water-cooler” talk and appreciate it when others make them aware of situations that could cause issues for the company (and them).
This may be especially true if most people in the office know what is happening (except for your manager). It’s likely your manager will be the last to know (not ideal) if you don’t let them know what is going on.
Depending on what you’ve got to share, the boss may appreciate what you have to say. You may be viewed as more trustworthy and caring when you go to the boss to share your concerns.
Whether you are a new player or a seasoned veteran, Secrets to Winning at Office Politics can help you increase your personal power without compromising your integrity or taking advantage of others.
Pro- May Help the Environment
If one particular co-worker is making the environment toxic for everyone else, snitching may actually improve the office environment.
Telling the boss about the person dragging down morale may lead to positive change for everyone.
Con- Your Boss May Think You’re a Tattletale
There’s always a chance that going to the boss won’t yield the results you want. Your boss may think you’re a tattletale.
If you go to the boss about something that the boss views as insignificant, you may come across as being whiny. The boss may not take too kindly to whiny employees, and you may be told to mind your own business.
Con- Your Co-Workers May Dislike You
Snitching can have ramifications with your co-workers as well. If they know you went to the boss, they may distrust you or even gang up on you.
Working with people who dislike you can make for a pretty miserable work environment. It can lead to co-workers avoiding you or, worse yet, harassing you if they think you’ve snitched on someone who didn’t deserve it.
This book provides you with savvy, practical advice for coping with managers and supervisors who are mean, incompetent, unethical, and worse.
Con- Your Actions Could Backfire
There’s always a chance that snitching can backfire. It could even get you fired in the worst-case scenarios.
Although you may tell the boss about your co-worker’s behavior with the best of intentions, your boss may not receive the information well.
It can leave the boss in a difficult spot at times, especially if there is no proof of wrongdoing on your co-worker’s behalf.
To Tell or Not to Tell
There isn’t a single answer about whether or not you should snitch on a co-worker. Instead, the decision should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
More serious behavior, such as illegal activity, should most likely be reported to a supervisor. Otherwise, you could be putting yourself in jeopardy.
However, minor issues, such as a co-worker arriving to work a few minutes late or using social media during work hours, may require more thought before snitching.
Also, consider your motivation for telling. If you don’t like a particular co-worker and you hope that co-worker will get fired, you may want to think twice about whether or not it is worth snitching over.
At the end of the day, weigh the pros and cons carefully before drawing any conclusions about whether or not to tell.
Nearly 50,000 people lose their jobs EVERY DAY. Are you one of them? Have you recently lost your job? Are you worried about what’s going to happen with your career next? Are you battling emotional issues such as self-doubt and anxiety? Before you burn down the building, read this first.
Weighing the Impact of Reporting a Coworker
Deciding whether to report a coworker’s behavior is rarely straightforward, because your decision can affect reputations, livelihoods, and the
Key Factors Before You Report Misconduct
Before raising concerns about a colleague, it helps to slow down and assess the situation from several angles rather than react impulsively. Think about the nature of the behavior, whether it is a one-time mistake or a pattern, and how it affects clients, coworkers, and the organization. Reflect honestly on your own motives, the strength of your information, and whether company policies support escalation. This kind of deliberate review can prevent misunderstandings and strengthen your credibility if you decide to move forward.
- Serious Harm: Ask whether the behavior could damage someone’s safety, career, or the organization’s integrity, since higher stakes create a more substantial obligation to speak up responsibly.
- Clear Evidence: Consider what specific facts, documents, or observations you can point to, because vague suspicions alone rarely justify formal complaints or difficult conversations.
- Intended Motive: Check your reasons for acting, making sure you are not simply retaliating or competing, but that you are genuinely trying to protect people and uphold workplace standards.
- How-To Plan: Use a structured guide, such as this one, to handle employee misconduct, preparing what you will say and how you will document concerns.
This book explores fundamental questions about whistleblowing and summarizes what we know about whistleblowers' experiences. It provides a detailed summary of current legal protections for whistleblowers and general guidelines for reporting misconduct.
Deciding When Silence Is Riskier Than Speaking Up
There are times when staying silent can create more risk than raising a concern, especially if you are aware of behavior that could harm clients, break the law, or violate clear company rules. If misconduct escalates and leaders later discover you knew but said nothing, your own judgment and integrity may be questioned. On the other hand, choosing to speak up thoughtfully, through the appropriate channels, shows that you take your responsibilities seriously and are committed to a healthy, ethical workplace.
Further Guidance & Tools
- HR Guidance: Visit SHRM for practical explanations of workplace misconduct, reporting channels, and organizational responsibilities when concerns are raised.
- Legal Rights: Use EEOC resources to understand protections against retaliation and discrimination when you report serious issues involving coworkers or managers.
- Safety Concerns: Explore OSHA’s worker page to learn how to handle unsafe practices and what options exist if hazards are ignored.
- Ethical Decisions: Review APA ethics guidance for insights on balancing personal values, professional duties, and complex workplace dilemmas.
- Conversation
Skills : Use MindTools to strengthen communication and assertivenessskills before discussing sensitive coworker behavior with a manager or HR.
By applying the principles of mindfulness—an ancient Buddhist practice—to our working lives, we can become aware of our habitual negative thoughts and behaviors and learn to recognize and manage the warning signs of stress.
Next Steps
- Write down precisely what you observed, including dates, times, and impacts, so you can separate facts from assumptions before speaking to anyone.
- Reflect on your motivation for reporting by asking whether you are aiming to protect people and the organization rather than punish a coworker.
- Review your company’s code of conduct and reporting policy to confirm whether the behavior clearly violates expectations or might be handled informally first.
- Consider whether a calm, private conversation with the coworker could resolve minor issues before escalating them through formal organizational channels.
- Decide which leader or HR contact you trust most, and plan how to present your concerns clearly and briefly, without emotional exaggeration.
Final Words
Choosing whether to report a coworker is a nuanced judgment call that demands honesty, courage, and thoughtful preparation. By examining your motives, carefully documenting facts, and understanding policies and risks, you can act with integrity even in uncomfortable situations. Ultimately, your goal is to support a healthy, ethical workplace while protecting your own credibility and well-being.
Nearly 50,000 people lose their jobs EVERY DAY. Are you one of them? Have you recently lost your job? Are you worried about what’s going to happen with your career next? Are you battling emotional issues such as self-doubt and anxiety? Before you burn down the building, read this first.
Mark Fiebert is a former finance executive who hired and managed dozens of professionals during his 30-plus-year career. He now shares expert job search, resume, and career advice on CareerAlley.com.
