Investigating a Complaint in the Workplace

This webinar is designed to train managers and HR professionals in how to conduct a thorough and impartial workplace investigation.  Complaints of sexual mis-conduct, harassment, bullying and abuse abound in today’s workplace.  Conducting workplace investigations is one of the most challenging management and HR duties, but also one of the most important.  There is an ethical, moral and legal duty to investigate thoroughly, to recognize due process – and also to recognize and over-come the natural biases we as investigators bring to the situation.

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

You will learn when, how, and what to investigate.  How to be empathic without agreeing, and how to deal with the alleged violator as fairly as possible.  Proper techniques, decision-making and report writing will also be discussed.

AREA COVERED

• Who should conduct the investigation – and who should not and why
• How to start  the process – being kind, empathic, but not agreeing to anyone
• The importance of due process and not promising the wrong kind of confidentiality
• Possible questions to ask
• Your own biases – such as believing the first person and conformation bias.
• Effective policy and procedures
• Interviewing witnesses, conducting evidence
• Types of sanctions based on allegations
• When for example to use mediation – when to call the police.
• Report writing

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

In this course you will first be given examples of sexual harassment and the outcomes based on how the complaint was handled.  This will be followed by a brief summary of the laws pertaining to harassment and discrimination.  Finally, we will focuson how to conduct how to conduct an investigation in the workplace, keeping it neutral, comprehensive and fair.

WHO WILL BENEFIT?

• Anyone being asked to conduct an investigation’
• HR Professionals
• In-house counsel
• Managers and Executives
• Small Business Owners