What is a confidential advisor?
A confidential advisor is someone employees, volunteers or crew members can turn to when something connected to their work is weighing on them. Think situations where you feel unsafe, you're in conflict with a colleague, or you're dealing with inappropriate behaviour.
The most important thing: everything you discuss is confidential. A confidential advisor takes no action without your consent. You decide what happens with your story.
There are two types of confidential advisor. An internal advisor works inside the organisation. An external advisor sits deliberately outside it. That can give an extra sense of safety, because there's no collegial relationship in play.
Want to know whether a confidential advisor is mandatory for your organisation? Read my article: Is a confidential advisor mandatory? What the law says
What is the role of a confidential advisor?
The role centres on three things:
- Listen without judgement. You can share your story in a safe setting. I don't give an opinion on who is right. I listen.
- Explore together. What do you want with this situation? What options exist? I help map the choices. The decision is always yours.
- Inform and refer. Sometimes a different kind of support is more fitting. In that case I'll point you towards the right place — HR, a mediator, or an external body.
And don't underestimate this: sometimes simply being able to talk through your situation in confidence already helps a lot, without any action having to follow.
What can you bring to a confidential advisor?
You can bring more than you might think. The most common reasons:
Inappropriate behaviour at work. Bullying, intimidation, discrimination or unwanted physical contact. From colleagues, managers, or — in some work environments — visitors or guests.
Conflicts and tensions. A long-running conflict with a colleague. A feeling that you're not being taken seriously. Tension in a team that no one is naming.
Integrity concerns. You see something happening that doesn't sit right. A colleague who isn't playing by the rules, or a situation that could put others' safety at risk.
Personal worries that affect your work. A confidential advisor isn't a therapist, but can act as a sounding board when something in your private life is shaping how you feel at work.
One thing a confidential advisor isn't for: specific employment matters such as salary, contracts or the content of your role. For those, go to your manager or HR.
What does a confidential advisor do at work?
In practice, a process often looks like this. You get in touch by phone, email or message. We set up a conversation — face to face or online, whichever works best for you.
During the conversation I listen to what is going on. I ask questions to understand how the situation is affecting you. Then — sometimes in a follow-up — we discuss your options together. Do you want something to be done with it? Or was it enough simply to be able to share it? Both are fine.
Sometimes a single conversation is enough. Sometimes we meet a few times. There's no fixed number of sessions — it depends entirely on what you need.
Confidentiality: what stays between us?
Everything you discuss with a confidential advisor stays confidential. That's the core of the role. I don't share anything with your manager, HR or anyone else, unless you explicitly ask me to.
There are three exceptions to confidentiality:
- An immediate threat to your safety or that of others.
- When I find myself in a serious moral dilemma.
- When we run up against legal obligations.
Even then, I'll talk through with you first what is about to happen. I won't act behind your back.
What can't a confidential advisor do?
A confidential advisor isn't a judge, mediator or therapist. I don't make decisions for you. I also don't contact the other party without your consent.
I don't give legal advice and I don't run investigations. If a formal complaint is needed, I can explain how that process works and support you through it — but the complaint itself comes from you.
When do you get in touch?
A common reaction: 'My situation probably isn't bad enough.' That's almost never true. You don't need to have a serious complaint to get in touch. Sometimes simply being able to share what's going on is enough to see things more clearly again.
About Nanna Lodewijkx
I'm Nanna, born in Brabant but by now a fully-grown Amsterdammer. I spent years in the cultural festival world as an organiser, art director and communications manager. That's also where a big part of my passion lies — art and music.
Alongside that, I run a practice as a relationship coach. Listening carefully and asking the right questions are second nature to me.
I work with organisations, festivals and events across the Netherlands. You can reach me year-round by phone, message or email.