Conducting Effective Workplace Investigations – Employee Relations, Operations and Workplace Safety Investigations: 2-day In-person Seminar

Course Description:
 
Conducting Effective Workplace Investigations – Employee Relations, Operations and Workplace Safety Investigations
Employers conduct investigations for a variety of reasons – employee complaints, allegations of misconduct, losses of various types. Knowing how to conduct an internal investigation in regards to a complaint, an accident, operational malfeasance or upon receipt of reports of misconduct or even in regards to a performance situation, is one of the most critical skills every Supervisor, Manager and certainly, every HR professional needs in today’s workplace.
Because any company that has employees is guaranteed that one day there will be problem(s). Where there are problems, good investigatory and fact-finding skills are crucial. Because with people being people, every situation will be different.
However, whether the investigation defends the company and limits their legal liability or blows up into an incredible, embarrassing mess (that incurs great liability) often depends largely upon HOW the investigation is conducted. The quality of the investigation conducted depends largely on the training an investigator received (or not.) Allowing untrained persons to conduct investigations can often create more risk than the actual events that prompted the investigation.
From interviewing to writing reports and monitoring the workplace after the investigation, this hands on 2-day seminar will cover processes, procedures and strategies for conducting workplace investigations so you can gain the confidence to be a competent and effective investigator. The first day includes strategies for minimizing regulatory risks and building investigatory processes combined with practical exercises. The second day concentrates on interviewing, handling problem interviews, and investigatory reporting. We spend half of the second day on interview techniques. Every module on both days includes a practical application exercise so you can practice what you have learned in an environment where mistakes will not have disastrous consequences.  
From fact-finding to writing reports, at the end of this seminar you will be a much more competent, effective, and confident investigator, able to handle company problems and limit your company’s legal liability.
Detailed Agenda:
 
Day 1 (8:30 AM - 4:30 PM)
08.30 AM - 09.00 AM:Program Registration
 
09.00 AM:Session Start
 
Strategic Planning: What Investigations Are and Why and When Do Employers Perform Investigations.

Employee complaints and employer obligations.
Best practices in internal investigations – forms, processes and protocols.
The essentials of investigative planning and preparation.
Building a consistent and effective investigatory process.

 
Exercise – Supervisory Resolve vs Report to Management.
10:15am – 10:30am:(Break)
 
10:30am – Noon
 
Minimizing Your Liability Risks

Overview of How Federal Employment Requirements Impact Investigations
Harassment and Discrimination
Safety
Disability
Retaliation
Wage and Hour
National Labor Relations Act
Union Workplaces
Employer obligations: When are you obligated to investigate or take immediate corrective action.
Retaliation red flags: How to minimize, even avoid the most common and often most expensive liability risk.

Exercise – Untangling Performance Problems That Are Entangled With Internal Complaints
 
Noon – 1:00 pm: Lunch and Networking
 
1:00pm – 2:15pm
 
Preparation: What Every Investigator Needs To Do Before Talking With The First Witness.

Investigatory processes and internal controls.
Educational disclosures.
Evidence and evidence controls.
Building a chain of custody.
Implementing effective documentation strategies.
Establishing secure files and records.
Document control essentials and recordkeeping.

 
2:15pm – 2:30pm (Break)
 
Program Continues,

How to take an accurate initial complaint (using a form) – the backbone of your investigation!
Preparing for witness interviews.

 
Exercise – Taking a Complaint
 
2:15pm – 2:30pm (Break)
 
Program Continues,

How to take an accurate initial complaint (using a form) – the backbone of your investigation!
Preparing for witness interviews.

Exercise – Taking a Complaint
 
4:00pm – 4:30pm
 
Investigatory Interference, Pushback and Real World Problems That No One Tells You About…

Taking the lead: How do you get management to authorize you to run your investigation?
Uncooperative supervisors: Strategies for handling difficult leaders who try to impede your investigation.
Tough issues: How do you handle other management persons who challenge your authority as an investigator?

Group Discussion – Handling Investigatory Interference
 
Day 2 (Program Continues)
 
8:30am – Noon
 
Interviewing Witnesses

Interview questions – how to construct effective questions.
How to take organized, useful interview notes.
Staging an interview.
Starting an interview.
Developing rapport – how to get people to talk to you.
Back away from the TV shows – using body language effectively.
Interviewing an accused party.

 
10:15am – 10:30am (Break)
Program Continues,

Reluctant witnesses – critical strategies for getting reluctant witnesses to cooperate.
Hostile witnesses – how to handle an angry witness during an interview.
Lying and deception ¬= contentious reconstruction. Getting the facts straight.
Ending an interview.
Conducting second interviews.

Exercise – Interviewing Witnesses
 
Noon – 1:00pm (Lunch and Networking)
 
1:00pm – 2:15pm
 
Report Writing

Before you start writing – reviewing your investigation.
Elements of a good report.
What goes where? What to use and what to leave out of your report.
Formatting a professional report.
Making determinations of credibility and findings.

Exercise – What Goes In The Report?
 
2:15pm – 2:30pm(Break)
 
3:30pm – 4:30pm
 
Closing the Investigation

Making investigatory decisions and recommendations.
Closing an investigation.
How to achieve closure when your investigation is inconclusive.
Minimizing disruption to the work environment.
Reopening an investigation.
Monitoring for retaliation.

Exercise – Conducting an Investigatory Closure Meeting
 
4:30pm (Program Wrap Up)
 
 
Instructor Profile:
Teri Morning, MBA, MS, specializes in solving company “people problems.”
Teri is the founder and President of Hindsight Human Resources.www.hindsightcloud.com
Teri also sources HR software solutions for incident tracking, employee relations, safety (Incident Tracker), compensation (Compease) and performance management (Performance Pro).
Twenty+ years human resource and training experience in a variety of fields, including retail, distribution, architectural, engineering, consulting, manufacturing (union), public sector and both profit and non-profit companies.
Teri has enjoyed consulting with employers on their problems and trained managers and employees for over 20 years, meeting and working with employees from all types of businesses.
In addition to a MBA, Teri has a Master’s degree in Human Resource Development with a specialization in Conflict Management.
Teri was certified by the State of Indiana in mediation skills, and Teri is currently certified in Project Management and IT Management and qualified as a Myers-Briggs practitioner. Teri has held the PHR, SPHR, SPHR-CA and SHRM-SCP certifications.
  TERMS & CONDITIONS:
Your Registration for the seminar is subject to the following terms and conditions. In case of any clarification please call us at Toll Free: +1- 877 462 6021 or email us at customercare@grcadvisoryonline.com
CANCELLATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS:
 
Written cancellations through email (from the person who has registered for this conference) received at least 10 calendar days prior to the start date of the event will receive a refund — less a $300 administration fee.
No cancellations will be accepted — nor refunds issued — within 10 calendar days from the start date of the event. On request by email (before the seminar) a credit for the amount paid minus administration fees ($300) will be transferred to any future GRCAdvisoryOnline event and a credit note will be issued. Substitutions may be made at any time.
No-shows will be charged the full amount. We discourage onsite registrations, however if you wish to register onsite payment to happen through credit card immediately or check to be submitted onsite.
Conference material will be given on the spot if it is available after distributing to other attendees. In case it is not available we will send the material after the conference is over. In the event GRCAdvisoryonline cancels the seminar, GRCAdvisoryonline is not responsible for any airfare, hotel, other costs or losses incurred by registrants. However if there is a cancellation by GRCAdvisoryOnline then the entire amount will be refunded. Some topics and speakers may be subject to change without notice.