You have reviewed an employee complaint and determined that a workplace investigation is needed. The next step is to gather the facts without reaching conclusions too early. A workplace investigation does not need to be unnecessarily complicated. It does need to be prompt, objective, and appropriate for the allegations involved. Choose the Right Investigator The investigator may be an HR professional, a manager, outside counsel, or another qualified person. The right choice d

An employee tells you something happened at work. Maybe the complaint involves a manager, coworker, policy, or workplace decision. Your first priority is not to decide who is right, it is to understand the complaint and determine what needs to happen next. Listen Before You Respond Give the employee an opportunity to explain what happened. Ask questions that help you understand the situation: What occurred? When did it happen? Who was involved? Were there witnesses? Is the is