Employee Investigations and Witness Interviews - 3 Hour Virtual Boot Camp

OVERVIEW

Employers conduct investigations for a variety of reasons; employee or customer complaints, background checks, regulatory or audit requirement(s), allegations of misconduct, and losses of various types. The shared primary purpose of these investigations is the same — to find out the facts of a situation to determine a course of action to take — or not to take.

In these investigations, employers often depend heavily upon employee’s recollections. Most employees will do their best to be forthcoming, and recount truthful and factual information to the best of their abilities. Some employees will not, some going so far as to be the opposite of truthful.

An investigator needs to know how to conduct a workplace investigation and also how to write a good case report. Because just as a good investigation defends the actions an employer took or not, the report supports the company’s decision-making (or not).

From fact-finding to writing reports, this webinar will cover practical tips for conducting workplace investigations and tips for writing investigative reports.

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND

Knowing how to conduct a workplace investigation with regard to a complaint, an accident, or upon receipt of reports of misconduct or even with regard to a performance situation, is one of the most critical skills every Manager, Supervisor, small business owner and certainly, every HR professional needs in today’s place of business.

Today’s employees are better-informed, have a heightened awareness, and less tolerance for workplace issues that may have been overlooked even a few short years ago. Today’s employees speak up promptly and feel comfortable expressing their umbrage when they have a concern. When employees have complaints, they expect their employer to be responsive, attentive and competent in how they handle such complaints and conduct effective workplace investigations.

This session is designed for anyone who has to conduct investigations, fact-findings, or solve employee problems and/or disputes.

AREAS COVERED

• Taking complaints
• Investigatory best practice policies, procedures and protocols.
• Minimizing risks
• Workplace investigation process
• Handling investigatory interference
• Witness interviews
• Interviewing uncooperative or angry witnesses
• How to handle physical, testimonial and documentary evidence
• Tips for writing investigative reports
• Making decisions in workplace investigation process
• Closure and monitoring of employee investigations
• Preventing and managing retaliation
• Indicators of professional investigations

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Where there are people, there will be problems. Any company regardless of size, is guaranteed that one day there will be a reported complaint or discovered problem(s). Where there are problems, good investigatory and fact-finding skills are crucial. Because with people being people, every situation will be different.

When an employer receives an allegation of workplace harassment, discrimination, other misconduct, even some types of customer complaints, conducting an internal investigation is often a legal responsibility to limit liability. However, whether the investigation defends the company and limits their legal liability or blows up into an incredible, embarrassing mess (that incurs great liability) may depend largely upon HOW the investigation is conducted.

The quality of an investigation conducted depends largely on the training the investigator received (or not) on the methods of conducting effective workplace investigations.

WHO WILL BENEFIT

• Small business owners
• Supervisors
• HR Generalists
• HR Managers
• HR Directors
• HR Business Partner
• Employee Relations
• Managers
• Plant Managers
• Branch Managers
• Front Line Managers
• Store Managers
• Management
• Business Owners
• Department Managers
• Compliance Officers
• Safety