Workplace investigations process

Training may cover investigation planning , conducting interviews, gathering evidence and other aspects of the investigative process , but most often doesn’t provide an overall blueprint for conducting an entire workplace investigation. A successful workplace investigation starts with a plan. Download the free Investigation Plan Template. The employer or person investigating should tell the employee with the disciplinary or grievance issue as soon as they decide to open an investigation. This is unless the employer thinks there is a risk that the employee might tamper with evidence or influence witnesses.

In this case, the employer should wait until there is less risk of this. How to conduct a workplace investigation? What are the best practices for an investigation? What is the process of investigation for a job?

Workplace Investigation Process 1. Employment contracts. Determine an appropriate location for interviews. Interviewing Parties. The following basic principles will apply to most investigations : The investigation should cover not only whether the alleged act or behaviour actually occurre but also whether the. Only approach witnesses or other parties that you are definitely aware can help you.

Instruct them to treat the. A properly conducted investigation can enable an employer to fully consider the matter and then make an informed decision on it. When an employee calls to allege serious misconduct by a co-worker , workplace investigations certainly follow.

And for most employee-related events , the workplace investigation process would not be complete without an investigation interview. For workplace investigations, interviews are crucial to a fair outcome. The burden of proof in workplace investigations is the civil burden ie balance of probability or. Step 2: Preparing for an investigation Who can carry out the investigation.

The employer and the person investigating, if there is one, should start by making an. Making an investigation plan. They also serve as an important mechanism to ensure that potential wrongdoing is caught early and appropriate measures are taken to limit liability and exposure. Decide whether to investigate. Take immediate action, if necessary.

Choose an investigator. Investigations can help ensure a workplace remains free from discrimination, harassment, and violence. The investigator must go where the evidence leads. Conducting workplace investigations is a dynamic process.

Sometimes the evidence leads to doing two or more interviews of the same witness—possibly shuttling back and forth between the claimant and the respondent repeatedly as new details of the allegations and defenses are revealed. THE WORKPLACE INVESTIGATION – BE THOROUGH, BUT TIMELY Once a problem occurs, a workplace investigation must progress in a timely fashion. The process of interviewing the parties involve collecting written documentation and evaluating company policies relative to the complaint must be done thoroughly, but not in haste. Within workplace investigations , the interview process must be unbiased with both parties being treated in a similar manner. It is not uncommon for employees to perceive HR professionals as working to a certain outcome that is favorable to the company, and this belief can skew their views of the legitimacy of the workplace investigation process – and the trustworthiness of their HR overall.

An investigation can simply be the gathering of facts looking at existing documentation e. The Investigations Manager makes a threshold determination whether a formal investigation is needed.