There has been an incident in the workplace. Rumours are flying. Tempers are short. Employees are watching to see if management does the right thing. It’s time for a workplace investigation.

Workplace investigations should be initiated when there is a behaviour or complaints of behaviour that are inappropriate, dangerous, or contrary to workplace policies and procedures. They are done in response to violence, substance abuse, discrimination or harassment, conflicts of interest, policy and procedure violations, theft, and other behaviours of concern. 

Investigations must be transparent, impartial, objective, and confidential. Even the most experienced human resources department struggles with investigations, and many organizations don’t have a good process in place. Inadequate handling of an investigation can cause the situation to escalate, affect workplace morale, and disrupt workplace relationships. A lack of effective intervention can even lead to legal action.

Many organizations want to react quickly when issues arise even though they don’t have an established procedure. Unfortunately, that makes it difficult to move forward due to a potential lack of impartiality, lack of trust from employees, and issues with maintaining confidentiality. For investigations to be done correctly, they should be handled by HR professionals with related experience and training in investigations.

In light of all the reasons that internal investigations are not ideal, what should organizations do? The answer is simple: outsource workplace investigations to an external provider. Over the years, many clients have called on us to handle investigations. As a result, we have learned a lot.

1.           Process matters. We have a standard investigation procedure which allows us to get to work quickly. Memories of an event change over time, so capturing an employee’s statement as early as possible helps to preserve the accuracy of the information.

2.           Confidentiality cannot be compromised. For employees to feel safe sharing their experiences, they must be able to do so without fear of judgement or reprisal. Employees are more likely to participate when an investigation is handled at arm’s length by a third party.

3.           Outsiders can ask the right questions. Without a history or existing relationship, external investigators can conduct highly effective interviews, ask tough questions, and dig deep into conversations with objectivity.

4.           Objectivity is the cornerstone of workplace investigations. We all have biases, preconceived notions, and assumptions about people and circumstances. When workplaces attempt to conduct investigations, biases influence the outcome. When a third-party provider steps in, they have no previous experience with employees and move forward in an impartial and fact-focused way. This can help to increase employee trust in the process and ensure a fair outcome.

A difficult experience in the workplace doesn’t have to result in long-term adverse effects. Outsourcing workplace investigations has been proven to be an effective solution in challenging situations. Let us handle your workplace investigations for you.