If someone comes forward with a serious allegation in your workplace, such as discrimination or harassment, are you prepared to conduct an impartial, objective investigation? Are you able to drop everything to review documents, record interviews, and make an official statement? Have you been trained to do so?

Having an action plan for such instances is the quickest way to address employee concerns and ensure employee rights are being adhered to.

What types of complaints might mandate a workplace investigation?

Complaints can be made on a variety of topics including, but not limited to, discrimination, harassment, wrongful treatment, equal employment opportunities (EEO), safety, ethics, privacy, and sensitive employee relations concerns. Not all of these require a workplace investigation, but each complaint should be objectively heard, documented, and seriously assessed to determine the proper way to address each one.

How do you stay objective when you know the back-story or already have a working relationship established? 

The tough answer is, you might not always be able to. Hiring a third-party consultant can ensure objectivity, streamline the investigation process, and demonstrate the employer is taking each concern seriously. With a consultant, there is no previously established relationship and they don’t report to anyone in your organization directly.

What do you do when an employee comes forward with a complaint?

Harassment and discrimination allegations are becoming more and more common. Each concern is very important and needs to be handled quickly to guarantee employee rights are adhered to. Skywalk Group has developed the We Respect program that may be used for various claims of wrongdoing in order to take action in a manner free of conflicts of interest. Pair this program with an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and you, as an employer, are ensuring employees will get the support they need.  

What is the We Respect Program?

W.E.R.E.S.P.E.C.T. stands for workplace environment with responsive, ethical support and protection of experiencing conditions with trust. This program is designed to field employee concerns and properly identify the escalation or de-escalation level necessary to rectify the situation.

Workplace

Environment with

Responsive

Ethical

Support &

Protection of

Experiencing

Conditions with

Trust

What do the Consultants do when they get a concern?

A designated consultant will be assigned to each concern who will then field the concern, assess the situation, and commit to one of the following: de-escalate and document, refer the employee to their employee assistance program (EAP) or direct manager, complete a formal complaint for the client’s records, or recommend and perform a workplace investigation.

What are the steps involved in a full-fledged, workplace investigation?

Following the initial analysis and investigation recommendation, the assigned HR Consultant will then conduct interviews with any necessary parties, review any documentation and/or relevant records, create a summary report, provide an objective recommendation, and then take action! This is all done with the highest priority level and highest degree of confidentiality.

Are you ready to be proactive and commit to a plan that will address serious allegations? Let’s Get Started!

To contact a certified Human Resources Consultant, email Samantha Rogers, SHRM-SCP, PHR at srogers@skywalkgroup.com.