Internal Workplace Investigation

As an employer, one must be prepared for the possibility of an internal workplace investigation. The manner in which these investigations are handled is of the utmost importance to all parties involved. The employer has the obligation to conduct a fair, legal, and timely investigation, without bias. Many investigations are the result of direct or indirect notification that harassment or discrimination has occurred. Investigations may also be warranted due to suspicion of substance abuse, theft, threatening remarks, etc. Once the employer has been notified, there are ten steps that, if followed, will ensure a complete and legal investigation has been completed.
Step 1: Decide whether to investigate. Not every problem in the workplace requires an investigation. If all employees involved agree on the facts, the situation may be resolved by the mediator simply consulting the policy manual or

The final action needed is to follow up with the employees that were involved with the investigation. It is not necessary to reveal the actions that were taken to either employee, but it is necessary to let them know the situation has been resolved. The investigator will want to make sure the misconduct has stopped and no retaliation has occurred. If any disciplinary actions were recommended, it is important to know those actions have been addressed and documented. If the case involved some confusion around company policy, perhaps additional training would be in order.
A workplace investigation should not become a witch hunt. The investigator is obligated to be fair, just and unbiased while performing his investigation. He or she should be well organized and prepared and not have any preconceived ideas on the outcome of the investigation. The investigator should have the best interest of the company and employees in mind. His mission should be to uncover the truth and to use this information to resolve the situation as quickly as