"Rebuilding Trust, Restoring Fairness: Practical Strategies to Navigate Workplace Investigations with Integrity."

There are a number of reasons why there may be a lack of trust in the workplace. It could stem from problematic relationships between employees and management, an employee’s individual past experiences, or the way issues have been handled in the past by predecessors. Each of these can be fairly complex to resolve. Here are some general ways to work on repairing trust:

• Clarify the Role of Human Resources: Clearly communicate what HR’s role is and is not.

• Explain Confidentiality: Be transparent about confidentiality and the obligation to act on certain disclosures (often dictated by legislation).

• Address Perceived Conflicts of Interest: Acknowledge that HR typically reports to senior management but clarify that its role is not to protect individual employees based on their position. Instead, it is to act in the best interest of the organization. Conducting fair and thorough investigations aligns with this responsibility and is also a legal requirement.

Practical Strategies to Rebuild Trust During Individual Investigations

• Transparency: Clearly communicate the investigation process, including how neutrality is maintained. Explain the investigator's role and independence from the parties involved. This can be challenging when the investigator is an employee of the organization. Avoid promising absolute confidentiality; instead, explain what must be disclosed and to whom, as per policy or process. When information is lacking, people often fill in gaps with assumptions. Providing detailed explanations helps participants understand what to expect.

• Third-Party Investigator: Consider hiring an external investigator to reduce perceptions of internal bias. If this is not feasible, involve an external party to review the findings before finalizing them.

• Structured Process: Follow a consistent and documented investigation procedure. This includes using standardized interview questions and objective evidence evaluation criteria.

• Oversight Mechanisms: Implement checks and balances, such as peer reviews or oversight committees, to ensure decisions are fair and unbiased.

• Empathy and Respect: Directly and respectfully address participants' concerns. Listening to their perspectives can build rapport and reduce skepticism. Use neutral and non-leading language when asking questions. For example, if an issue has been ongoing, instead of asking, “Why didn’t you report this sooner?” ask, “What influenced your decision to report this now?”

• Training: Ensure investigators are trained in bias recognition and trauma-informed practices to handle sensitive situations effectively.

If you'd like to explore any of these strategies further, reach out to us at info@hrtraction.com, or visit our services at www.hrtraction.com or www.tractsoftware.com.