Workplace Investigations
Independent, impartial investigations into complaints about inappropriate behaviour at work
Employee disputes and misconduct happen in every workplace. Allegations of bullying, harassment, discrimination, fraud and other misconduct present particular challenges. They can be highly personal, complicated and unpleasant. They have serious consequences for the people involved.
If these issues are not addressed, they may result in continuing workplace problems and unnecessary costs to the employer. Employee morale may suffer, which could lead to increased absenteeism and WorkCover claims.
Few managers are experienced at investigating workplace complaints. Others have insufficient time to handle complex, emotional cases on top of their existing workload. In addition, if the investigation is run by an employee of the organisation, there is a risk of perceived bias towards either the complainant or the accused employee.
Outsourcing workplace investigations to an independent specialist is a practical, efficient and cost-effective option.
Workplace Investigations
External workplace investigators conduct an independent, impartial investigation into formal complaints about bullying, harassment, discrimination, fraud or unethical behaviour at work, and make findings of fact. They can also make comments on any apparent breaches of policy, and recommend post-investigation support strategies for you to adopt moving forward.
Engaging an experienced, independent, external workplace investigator will help you:
- address the complaint in a timely and transparent manner
- deliver procedural fairness for all parties
- ensure compliance with relevant legal and regulatory frameworks
- reduce the risk of any disciplinary action taken as a result of the investigation being overturned
- avoid distracting managers from their core responsibilities
- minimise confusion and distraction of staff
- be confident that you have reliable facts and can make defensible decisions.
Our Approach
Worklogic is the Australian industry leader for conducting reliable, fair and robust workplace investigations. In 2013, we published the highly-acclaimed book ‘Effective Workplace Investigations: A Guide for Australian HR Professionals. The updated edition “Workplace Investigations” was published by Wolters Kluwer in 2018. We have conducted hundreds of investigations for employers, and have also worked with law firms across Australia to investigate complaints for their clients under legal professional privilege (LPP).
We investigate the matter efficiently, thoroughly and with discretion. Our approach is confidential, impartial, and fair to employees:
- We discuss the matter with you, agree investigation is the best strategy to resolve the complaint and determine the scope of the investigation (that is, what allegations will be investigated).
- Conduct interviews with the employees who are relevant to the allegations. Worklogic is a fully- functioning hybrid workplace and can provide services in person or via video conference. Worklogic is compliant with any current public health orders and is committed to prioritising the health and safety of staff and clients.
- Gather the documentary evidence, such as emails, file notes and digital evidence
- Review and assess all the evidence, to identify where it is ‘contradictory’ and further exploration is necessary
- Provide the complainant and respondent with an opportunity to review and comment on any evidence that is contradictory to or inconsistent with their position
- Analyse all evidence and draw conclusions, making findings of fact and (if instructed) comments on any apparent breach of your workplace policies and procedures
- Write an investigation report that clearly sets out the allegations and our findings
Our investigation reports are clear, reliable and attach all the evidence we have collected, giving you a sound basis for confident decision-making moving forward.
Where appropriate, we can then recommend post-investigation support strategies to help you rebuild working relationships after an investigation.
This is why our clients engage us for this important work.
Worklogic’s combination of professionalism and values make them a compelling and trusted service provider. We have engaged Worklogic for policy development, training and mediation and on all occasions have found them highly effective in achieving a sustainable outcome for Justice Connect and our staff.
Fiona Macleay
Workplace Services & Support
