5 Things to Notice When Make Workplace Investigations

A workplace investigation is an exercise to ascertain the facts and circumstances in relation to something in the workplace did or did not occur. It is a relevant process in the determination of fairly and equally as appropriate actions in the workplace.

Here is the best advice that may help you to accomplish effective investigations at your workplace…

• 1. Determine the right person to conduct the investigation
• 2. He just simply makes a plan for the investigation.
• 3. Plan your questions
• 4. Evaluate the evidence
• 5. Draw conclusions

Let’s begin…

1. Find The Right Person to Conduct the Investigation

The choice of the investigator depends with the type of study that is being carried out. Remember to nominate an individual who does not have a bias and where possible, should be someone who will not be needed for other parts of the process in case they are needed for a hearing or an apparent.

2. Create An Investigation Plan

Plan In the meantime, the planning process can help to take more time on the investigation in case necessary.

• Define Scope and Objectives: Since every complaint may lead to a lawsuit, an employer needs to investigate every case where it could, in some way, be used in court in the situation that claim is made. In cases of harassment; The US EEOC advised that the following measures be carried out specific for case of harassment; Complaint mechanisms; Training Investigations; Corrective measures
• Establish Methods and A Timeline: Included in a complete plan should be the statement of the issue and policy violations that are being accused of. It should include also a list of witnesses, information and evidence sources, questions that would address the crucial issues and questions that need to be answered during the interview, a timing chart and documentation retention policy to include notes of interview and emails that could be viewed as evidence.
• Identify The Investigator: The plan also needs to state and define if it is somebody other than the HR that is conducting the investigation. HR usually does such a probe, although the employer may use internal security, legal (in-house or outside), or outside investigators.
• Develop Interview Questions: This is to be used in the planning stage, but more questions are created during the investigation as and when new evidence or information are produced. A good question is CQN; that is, it relates to the purposes of the interview and should be framed in such a manner that it does not incline the respondent to a specific answer, but could generate information. SHRM has the main sample questions for the accuser and the sample questions for the witnesses as well.
• Consider Where to Conduct Interviews: Employees notice when verses of witnesses enter a conference room or the Human Resource department and the investigations become public. Getting together in a more informal environment allows the employees to be more open. Use credit control while approaching common nonemployees, including past employees, clients and consumers, for interviews only when forced.

3. Plan Your Questions

When interviewing staff plan your questions beforehand, ask probing questions that enable you to cross check the information given yet in a friendly manner and always have to look at the relational/adjective aspect of how the interviewee is giving out the information in order to gauge the reliability of such data.

4. Evaluate The Evidence

Cognitive: Seek for endorsement or contradiction of an individual’s statements, scrutinize the facts and turn to Company procedures.

5. Draw Conclusions

Make inference about what most probably did or did not occur as the circumstances in a scenario which you only need to opine the likelihood, that is the probabilities of the occurrence of an event between reasonable doubt and high possibility. Remember! The investigator should give recommendations on what should be done in the future but it’s not their responsibility to come up with a sanction.

Ready For Fair and Comprehensive Workplace Investigations?

Outsource assistance from Vision Law so, you can get professional help for your HR issues. Contact us to speak with a knowledgeable professional from our team that can guide you through the formidable process of workplace investigations. For more information on our services and what workplace investigation lawyers at Vision Law can do for your organization to ensure that policies and practices are non-discriminatory, please get in touch with us today.