Anyone who has had the task of investigating allegations of workplace misconduct will know that it can be a taxing and high stakes exercise for all involved. The need for thoroughness and attention to detail on the part of the investigator must not be allowed to outweigh the need for sensitivity towards the participants, such […]
Workplace investigations are a necessary tool in an organisations’ tool kit. Done well, they areprocedurally fair, independent enquiries into the circumstances of a particular conflict, makingfindings of fact that enable an organisation to make informed and sensible decisions about managingthe risk of the conflict or complaint can inflame existing tensions, contribute to the breakdown ofworking […]
At Worklogic we are often asked for advice about how to respond to conflict or a complaint. I was recently asked by a community organisation for advice regarding a workplace situation. A staff member told his manager he felt bullied by a colleague, but he hadn’t made a formal complaint. This is often a crucial […]
We have completed our workplace investigation, summarised and assessed all the relevant evidence, made a decision, on the balance of probabilities, whether allegations have been proven or not and provided a comprehensive investigation report. This should solve the workplace conflict and allow everyone to move forward. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Although the […]
Managing complaints about workplace misconduct is never an easy task. The process is usually accompanied by high emotions, personal and professional impacts and risks, and of course, a very real need to prioritise an organisational response. However, it doesn’t have to be an ‘all or nothing’ approach when it comes to decisions about workplace investigations. […]
So, you’ve received a complaint, and it seems complicated, messy and unclear. What do you do? We all understand that complaints must be handled in a timely, confidential and procedurally fair way, but it is not always clear what those concepts mean in practice. If you follow these six steps, you can be confident that […]
The ideal workplace investigation is conducted confidentially. Complainants, respondents and witnesses are asked to not discuss their involvement in the investigation process or anything that is discussed with others at the workplace, with the exception of human resources representatives or a support person. Participants are asked to observe confidentiality so that each person provides their […]
Commonly employees present complaint documents which describe the alleged behaviour in broad terms (“I have been subject to constant bullying behaviour”), employing emotive language to describe the behaviour and the impact that it has had on them. Whilst this is to be anticipated and is perfectly reasonable way to raise a workplace complaint, that document […]
A robust, well-written workplace investigation report is your best defense in an unfair dismissal claim. Worklogic director Jodie Fox examines the benefits of writing comprehensive investigative reports after a recent decision by the Fair Work Commission found Worklogic’s report to be consistent and detailed. Worklogic Report Withstands FWC Scrutiny Recently one of Worklogic’s reports was examined […]
As this is my first blog for the year, I wanted to say welcome to 2021 and I hope this year is a little safer and smoother for you than perhaps last year was. As we move into the working year and get back to the ‘new’ business as usual (definitely a subject of another […]