Workplace Investigations & How an HRIS Can Streamline the Process
Workplace investigations are necessary to maintain a safe, fair, and compliant work environment. HR Professionals are most commonly tasked with completing the investigations due to legal ramifications if not documented properly. Whether it’s addressing complaints of harassment, safety violations, discrimination, or misconduct, handling investigations properly will relay to the community and employees that the organization takes its integrity and ethics seriously.
Why are Investigations Important?
HR Professionals use investigations together insight and information when a complaint or issue arises. Investigations are essential in resolving workplace complaints, ensuring all employees are protected, and reducing the organization’s legal risk. To maintain trust and transparency within the organization, the investigation must be conducted properly.
Investigations should begin immediately to reduce the potential for escalation. The investigator needs to be discreet to protect the privacy of all involved. Often, investigations will require the investigator to travel to different locations that they may not typically be seen at. By having other items of business to complete will ensure that too much attention is not drawn towards the investigation.
Gather Evidence and Interview Parties
The investigator is the finder of fact in an investigation. To do so, it is essential to collect relevant documents, emails, and records. Some of these records are created during the interview process. The investigator should interview the complainant, the accused, and any witnesses.
During the interviews, it is vital to ask open-ended questions and document everything meticulously. The investigator should determine the time and day of each instance of importance during the investigation and collect any electronic documentation, such as video recordings from the organization’s security system, if accessible.
Remaining Neutral is Necessary
Only an unbiased investigation is effective in accurately determining the root cause of the issue at hand. Remaining neutral and objective is essential to conducting a fair investigation. This can be done by focusing on the facts and evidence, remaining focused on finding the truth, and not jumping to conclusions.
Document and Report
Like many things in business and especially in HR, thorough documentation is crucial. By keeping detailed notes, following a comprehensive report that outlines the investigative process, documenting evidence, and the conclusion, the investigator will be able to ensure defend any termination that is a result of the investigation. This report will be the basis for any actions taken and may be important in legal contexts. Not to mention, it is important to be consistent in how similar investigations are handled and to ensure the actions taken are also consistent.
Take Appropriate Action
After the investigation, the HR professional must take action based on the findings. The actions could include disciplinary action, termination, policy changes, and training initiatives. It is paramount to ensure that the response is appropriate to the severity of the findings and that is documented to ensure consistent actions are taken in the future.
Follow Up
Once the investigation is concluded, follow-up is necessary. The investigator should follow up with the involved parties to ensure that the issue has been resolved and that no retaliation occurs. The follow-up should be documented and saved in the investigation file. Continuous monitoring may be necessary to maintain a positive workplace culture.
Streamline Investigation with an HRIS
HRIS (Human Resource Information Systems) platforms, like SutiHR, can aid HR professionals in conducting and documenting ethical and compliant investigations. A good HRIS will have features that will improve the efficiency, documentation, compliance, and collaboration needed to ensure consistent and unbiased investigations. Here are a few ways an HRIS can help:
Centralized Record Keeping
HRIS platforms allow organizations to maintain employee data in one centralized location. This data includes not only the employee’s basic personnel file but also records related to investigations, complaints, disciplinary actions, performance issues, and actions taken. These records are stored in a single, secure, easily accessible location. This allows the HR professional to ensure the information is up-to-date and easily retrieved since it is kept in an easily accessible and centralized location.
Incident Tracking
Incident tracking is often built into an HRIS platform. This built-in feature allows HR to log complaints, grievances, or other issues as they arise. Many HR systems will include timestamps, audit trails, and even the ability to assign case numbers. This makes tracking an incident from start to finish easier and will also provide the ability to look up past cases to ensure consistency in actions taken for future incidents.
Task Automation
Automated workflows are commonplace in an HRIS. These configured workflows will ensure that tasks are assigned to the right individuals and will allow the HR professional the ability to track the status of each task assigned. HR professionals can set deadlines and send reminders through the HRIS to prevent delays.
Confidentiality and Security
While confidentiality is always a top priority of HR professionals, during an investigation, it is even more essential to ensure that all parties involved are protected. HRIS platforms offer the control and confidentiality required by limiting access to the investigation documentation. An HRIS can ensure that only authorized personnel can view the sensitive information contained in the investigation file.
Document Management and Collaboration
HRIS platforms make storing all evidence, witness statements, and other documents collected in the investigation secure in a digital format. The documentation can be attached to specific cases, and access to the information can be limited. This will ensure all information is available in one easy-to-access place. HRIS platforms also provide communication and collaboration tools that allow HR teams and other legal representatives to share notes, and documents, and communicate securely about the case.
Conclusion
Workplace investigations are a vital aspect of HR’s role in creating a safe and compliant work environment. By acting swiftly, maintaining neutrality, and documenting thoroughly, you can handle investigations effectively and uphold the integrity of your organization. Workplace investigations are challenging, but with the right approach and technology, they can be managed effectively, ensuring a fair and safe environment for everyone.
