A business is only as brilliant as its employees. If they behave poorly, their conduct reflects terribly upon the company.
Employee misconduct should be dealt with impeccably. While some allegations can perhaps be more extraordinary than others, all complaints should be thoroughly investigated and resolved at the earliest opportunity.
Getting to the truth of matters can be challenging, especially if you’re pressed for time already. Below is a quick guide to help you investigate employee misconduct more efficiently.
Plan Processes
Not all incidents of employee misconduct are equal. Some transgressions are more serious than others.
Therefore, better defining the investigation processes may be a good idea. You may wish to outline measures like:
- Suitable preventative measures – The provision of workplace training and a general revision of conduct policies.
- Appropriate disciplinary procedures – When might a warning be appropriate compared to an immediate dismissal?
- What due process looks like – Will the employee be summoned to a tribunal to present their side of the story? Which interview questions might you prepare? Where can key documents and evidence be stored safely?
Investigating employee misconduct is a multi-stage effort. The more robust your processes are, the more smoothly and thoroughly incidents of alleged misconduct can be investigated with minimal delay and distraction.
Hire a Private investigator
Private investigators are incredibly cunning and proactive. They’re also impartial, busying themselves with gathering facts and evidence rather than stirring up trouble for fun.
Therefore, private investigation services could be precisely what your firm needs when investigating employee misconduct. They’ll minimise internal drama and conflict in your firm, and their findings can be lawfully obtained and potentially worthy of strengthening any court case. Many things can be looked into here regarding employee behaviour, including theft, moonlighting, and false long-term sickness and injury claims.
It’s not nice to assume the worst of your employees. Nevertheless, your doubts need to be confirmed or denied if you have suspicions of misconduct. The employee may be unlikely to come forward and admit wrongdoing themselves, so hire a private investigator to get to the bottom of matters quickly. They’ll also maintain confidentiality, which is crucial for proceedings.
Consult Legal Professionals
Your desire for help doesn’t need to end during the investigation process. You can ask for support in carrying out further actions as well.
After all, dismissing staff can be a complicated process in itself. While a few broad strokes of these procedures can be researched with government resources, these matters must be approached with tact and sensitivity to be managed properly. To do that, you need to be well-informed and confident in your actions.
Consequently, consulting HR and legal professionals may be in your best interests. You may already have related departments, but if not, these experts can help you understand whether your employees fully comply with regulations, laws, and your own internal policies from the evidence you or a private investigator have gathered. Their insights can be invaluable and ensure you don’t overstep the mark yourself during these trying processes.
Conclusion
As you can see, our recommended strategies involve being prepared and asking for help when necessary. You may be swamped enough as is when you’re running a business. Still, employee misconduct investigations can move along comfortably with the right support, benefiting all involved parties.
