A workplace investigation can be a traumatic and emotional event for everyone involved. Let’s take a look at how an organisation can move forward after a workplace investigation, regardless of whether the complaint has upheld or if any disciplinary action has been taken. WHAT happens when an investigation is concluded? After the investigative process […]
When a workplace investigation is coming to an end, one task can seem deceptively simple – making findings. It might seem that because all the information is now available, the investigator can surely just state ‘the obvious’ in their report. Yet as with most tasks in the investigative process, quality outcomes require much greater consideration […]
To say that a workplace investigation report is an important document is certainly something of an understatement. Following the investigation, the report will be relied upon for all manner of significant organisational decisions, tasks and action. As a result, it is essential that workplace investigators create a professional, transparent and unbiased document. ONE REPORT, MANY […]
In any workplace investigation, there will be multiple competing factors for an investigator to consider. One core issue is developing the appropriate interview strategy. Investigative interviewing requires careful consideration of the purpose of the investigation, and exactly who will be interviewed. There is also the question of tone – ensuring that the interview remains cordial […]
During the process of conducting workplace investigations, it is generally necessary to prepare letters of notification, and later, letters of allegation. We take a look at the difference between the two, and provide some tips on how to prepare these important documents. notifying the parties involved The letter of notification serves as confirmation that an […]
When conducting a workplace investigation, it is crucial to be able to demonstrate that appropriate procedures have been followed. This is essential in defending any subsequent action that may be taken. It can be helpful for employers to create an action plan utilising Terms of Reference (ToR) and the services of an external investigator to […]
For many employers, a workplace investigation process can appear quite challenging to navigate. Questions around the actual subject of the investigation, and who is best qualified to carry out this important task, can immediately arise. The investigation process itself is characterised by a number of important processes that are designed to reduce the risk of […]
An ever-increasing key dilemma for employers in the modern age is how to deal with the misconduct by staff through their use of social media platforms. The list of potentially offending conduct is lengthy. For example, staff might call in sick but then post details of their activities on social media. Employees could post inappropriate, […]
When conducting investigations in the workplace, senior staff and human resource managers often have to deal with uncooperative respondents. Understandably, this can significantly hamper the progress of the investigation. WHat is an uncooperative respondent There are many ways in which the smooth running of an investigation can be negatively affected by an uncooperative respondent. This […]
One of the more difficult aspects of managing an employment relationship is appropriately dealing with complaints, both from the perspective of the complainant and the accused. This is made even more complicated when a reluctant complainant brings something to the attention of Human Resources or management, then does not want it investigated. We examine why […]