How to Run a Fair Workplace Investigation

Be clear what you are investigating, and why

Before you speak to anyone, write down the specific allegation or question you are investigating. A vague brief leads to a rambling process that misses the point and frustrates everyone involved.

Keep the scope tight. The job of an investigation is to establish the facts, not to reach a verdict. That decision comes later, and ideally by someone who has not run the investigation.

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Gather evidence fairly and keep good records

Speak to the people involved and any witnesses, and gather any documents, messages or records that are relevant. Give the person under investigation a fair chance to put their side before any conclusion is drawn.

Take notes of every meeting, and keep everything confidential. Sloppy or missing records are one of the most common reasons an otherwise sound process falls apart later.

Stay impartial and produce a clear report

An investigator has to be genuinely impartial. If you are too close to the people or the outcome, appoint someone else, because a process that looks stitched up is worse than no process at all.

Finish with a clear written report that sets out what you looked at, what you found, and whether there is a case to answer. That report is what the decision-maker relies on, so it needs to stand on its own.