Conduct issues occur in all employment situations and on some occasions these conduct issues need further investigation to determine if these issues need to be considered under the current policies and procedures. When there is a possible work disciplinary or grievance issue, the employer should do an ‘investigation’. This is where they find out all they reasonably can about the issue and decide it any further action is necessary. For this to be a fair process the employer should seek to find out as much information as possible via the investigation process.
An investigation is to:
- see if there is a case to answer
- make sure everyone is treated fairly
- gather evidence from all sides
- help the employer to see what should happen next
At any stage the employer can still look at whether:
- the formal procedure needs to carry on
- the issue can be resolved informally instead
With this in mind this masterclass will look at:
- Preparing for an investigation including how to formulate allegations
- Timeframes
- Evidence
- Holding investigation meetings and the right to be accompanied
- Wellbeing during an investigation process
- Conclusions and recommendations for next steps
