Do you have a Harassment Policy?

A Challenge and an Opportunity

With changing regulatory and social expectations about the value of safe, harassment-free workplaces, employers are increasingly recognizing the importance of conducting fair and accurate workplace investigations.

How an investigation is handled is critical; a poorly executed investigation can cause more problems than if no investigation was conducted at all. For instance, an investigation without commensurate procedural fairness can expose an organization to an array of liabilities.

Beyond certain statutory obligations to investigate, third-party investigations may be appropriate for:

• Discrimination
• Bullying
• Violence
• Theft/Fraud
• Hostile work environment
• Violations of policy or regulation

For many organizations, internal skill and experience will fall short to conduct complex or sensitive investigations. Experience and the issuance of a defensible investigatory report are two hallmark reasons to consider a third-party investigator.

While external investigations come with added expense for an organization, the upside is to learn from a thorough and professional investigative finding. It is a paradigm shift; hence, a challenging event can become a future opportunity to learn from an investigative finding and perhaps critically assess if a more robust policy, additional training on harassment prevention or further cultivation of the workplace culture is needed.

In short, a third-party investigation is not a hindrance, but rather is an invaluable tool to enhance a workplace culture.

At 360 we understand the value of a third-party intervener. Many organizations who do not outsource to an impartial investigator often underwhelm overwhelming problems.

At 360 we have the independent lens and experience that you need to overwhelm your your most troublesome issues. Partner with us and realize you can have better lives at work.