New HR Acuity research finds that nearly 1 in 4 affected employees remain silent

NEW YORK, May 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HR Acuity, the leader in employee relations (ER) case management and investigations software, today released findings from a survey of 2,043 U.S. employees showing a surge in workplace misconduct and harassment for 2025. The study also revealed that allegations are becoming more complex and highlighted gaps in employee reporting among certain groups and locations.

In the years following the #MeToo Movement, organizations invested in updating policies, expanding training and strengthening employee relations processes. Misconduct rates fell 15 percentage points over five years.

In 2025, those investments were tested. 55% of employees experienced or witnessed misconduct, up 14 points from 2024. Despite the spike in misconduct, reporting, investigation and resolution rates also rose to record levels. 78% of employees who experienced or witnessed misconduct reported it; 75% who reported saw their issue investigated and resolved (up 16 points from 2024); and of those resolved cases, 90% agreed that their issue was resolved fairly.

The study found that misconduct cases are becoming more complex. 38% of employees who experienced or witnessed misconduct encountered four or more distinct issue types, up 14 points from 2024. Increasing case complexity heightens both legal exposure and the operational burden on employee relations teams.

“The findings confirm that employee relations has made great strides to mitigate risk related to workplace harassment and misconduct. Not only is misconduct rampant, but employees feel more empowered to speak up and are increasingly using AI to help report concerns, contributing to greater case complexity,” said Deb Muller, founder and CEO, HR Acuity. “In order to create lasting change, the challenge for employee relations is now two-fold: to effectively handle greater volume and more complex investigations at scale and to dig into their data to understand and reach the 22% of employees who still don’t speak up.”

The data revealed four gaps that explain where and why employees stayed silent when exposed to misconduct. 

1. Misconduct is most common where it’s least reported. 

   67% of employees experienced or witnessed misconduct while in the office, yet in-office employees report at the lowest rate of any work environment, 76% versus 86% for remote workers.

2. Hourly workers are the most underserved.

   Only 63% of hourly employees reported concerns about misconduct, and 61% of those allegations were investigated. Among executives those rates are 97% and 98%, respectively.

3. Anonymous reporting is only as effective as its visibility.

   Nearly all organizations offer anonymous reporting tools, yet only 56% of employees know the option exists. The data confirms that awareness changes behavior: employees who know they can report anonymously are 1.8 times more likely to do so.

4. Fear of retaliation silences employees and undermines reporting culture.

   46% of employees cited fear of retaliation as a reason they did not report misconduct, and only 46% of employees whose reported allegations were investigated and resolved were monitored for retaliation following the investigation.

Issue resolution closes a 19-point gap in employer recommendation

Among employees who experienced or witnessed misconduct, the likelihood to recommend their employer jumped from 36% to 55% when their issue was reported, investigated and resolved.

This research was conducted in partnership with Isurus Market Research and Consulting, an independent research firm. Data was collected in January 2026 from 2,043 U.S. employees on their experiences in 2025, with a confidence level of +/- 2.1 percentage points. HR Acuity has published similar employee studies in 2019, 2023 and 2024.

Download the full report here: 2025 Workplace Harassment & Misconduct Statistics: Four Gaps that Prevent Employees from Speaking Up.

About HR Acuity

HR Acuity is the category leader in employee relations case management and investigations software, purpose-built for employee relations and HR professionals. Its industry-leading SaaS solution delivers powerful tools and AI-driven analytics to manage employee relations cases and investigations with consistency, clarity and confidence. By transforming how organizations handle workplace issues—from initial report to resolution and beyond—HR Acuity empowers businesses to foster transparency, accountability and a culture of trust.

HR Acuity works with hundreds of leading enterprises. The company publishes the annual Employee Relations Benchmark Study, covering more than 9 million employees; is the creator of ER/Q, the first-ever maturity model for employee relations; and is the founder of empowER™, a growing community of more than 8,000 employee relations, workplace investigations, human resources and compliance professionals.

Media Contact: 
Kate Freer, CMO 
kfreer@hracuity.com

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SOURCE HR Acuity