Investigating a Complaint in the Workplace

Recorded Session
60 Minutes

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

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.

  • 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

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.

  • Anyone being asked to conduct an investigation’
  • HR Professionals
  • In-house counsel
  • Managers and Executives
  • Small Business Owners
Currency:
Webinar Option
Transcript (PDF Transcript of the Training)
Downloadable Recorded Session
DVD/USB

Speaker Profile

ins_img ArLyne Diamond

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 …

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