Investigating a Complaint in the Workplace
Learn to run a fair, thorough workplace investigation, from choosing the investigator and interviewing witnesses to avoiding bias, deciding sanctions and writing the report.
Speaker
ArLyne Diamond
Leadership and organizational development consultant · Diamond Associates · PhD
Overview
Complaints of sexual misconduct, harassment, bullying and abuse are common, and investigating them is one of the hardest and most important duties managers and HR face. This 60-minute workplace investigation training shows how to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation.
It opens with examples of sexual harassment complaints and how the outcomes depended on how they were handled, followed by a short summary of harassment and discrimination law.
You'll then learn who should and shouldn't investigate, how to start with empathy without agreeing, due process and confidentiality, questions to ask, interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence, recognizing your own biases, sanctions, when to use mediation or call the police, and report writing.
Why attend: Employers have an ethical, moral and legal duty to investigate thoroughly, respect due process and overcome the biases investigators naturally bring. This session covers when, how and what to investigate, treating the alleged violator fairly, and sound decision-making. It suits HR professionals, in-house counsel, managers and executives, small business owners and anyone asked to conduct an investigation.
What’s covered
- Examples of harassment complaints and their outcomes
- A summary of harassment and discrimination laws
- Who should and shouldn't conduct the investigation, and why
- Starting the process with kindness and empathy without agreeing
- Due process and avoiding the wrong kind of confidentiality promise
- Possible questions to ask
- Your own biases, such as believing the first person and confirmation bias
- Effective policies and procedures
- Interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence
- Types of sanctions based on the allegations
- When to use mediation and when to call the police
- Report writing
Who should attend
What you get
About the speaker
ArLyne Diamond, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized Leadership, Management, Professional Development and O-D consultant specializing in people and processes in the workplace. Multifaceted, Dr. Diamond has extensive experience in a wide range of disciplines (business, education, management, marketing, business ownership, psychology – and some economics and law as well.) This enables her to see things from a variety of angles and to cleave to the essence of a problem quickly, offering her clients creative and practical solutions.
As the President and Founder of her consulting firm, Diamond Associates, which was established in 1981, Dr. Diamond’s clients range from boards of directors and upper management to support staff in many industries, both public and private. This includes small business and professional practices, corporations, associations, service/charity organizations and government agencies (including police and fire.) She works with individuals, teams and large groups. Dr. Diamond trains Boards of Directors and teaches several courses to board members and those striving for board appointments.
She is well known for her skill in large and small group process, including workshops in strategic planning, change management, conflict resolution, system streamlining, communication, management of people and projects, as well as board of directors development, committee and team training.
Her executive consulting/coaching and mentoring of individuals includes helping new CEOs grow into their position and learn how to create and work with executive teams, stakeholders, and others in their organization.
Dr. Diamond taught a wide range of MBA university courses in Business, Organizational Development, Quality, Change Management, Persuasion/ Negotiation, Marketing and Leadership and others. She also taught a series of Psychology courses to graduate and undergraduate students..
Born into a family and culture of service to others, ArLyne has been involved with many associations, service and charity organizations. A listing in available under Community Service on her website: www.DiamondAssociates.net. She is currently active in politics and Rotary. She recently completed approximately two years of volunteering to in ProMatch, an organization dedicated to helping those out of work, where she offers workshops and a weekly drop-in helping people with finding themselves, resumes, interview skills and landing the job.
A prolific writer, she has published hundreds of articles and five books. (A listing of published articles can best be found by Googling her.) In addition, Dr. Diamond publishes a monthly newsletter, “Diamonds to You” and is a guest writer for several newspapers.
Dr. Diamond is offering on-line courses through Illumeo (formerlyProformative’ Academy.)
Her published books are:
Training Your Board of Directors: A Manual for the CEOs, Board Members. Administrators and Executives of Corporations, Associations, Non-Profit and Religious Organizations.
The “Please” and “Thank You” of Fund-Raising for Non-Profits
Conflict in the Workplace: Causes and Cures
Leading and Managing a Global Workforce
Culture: Inside the Company and Outside the Country
Conducting Workplace Investigations: Designated Investigator
She is currently completing two other books, one will be Roles and Responsibilities in the Workplace – which will accompany employee handbooks and the other is Managing for Creativity.
ArLyne Diamond, Ph.D. appears on radio and television and speaks to associations and community organization on a wide range of topics. Her style is informal, friendly, and informative.
Like a Diamond, using ArLyne Diamond, Ph.D. as your consultant will prove to be a wise investment that appreciates in value over time.
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