Four Common Mistakes Employers Should Avoid During Internal Workplace Investigations
A common issue that employers, regardless of size or industry, face is responding to employee complaints. If, for example, an employee reports that they are being sexually harassed at work or that another employee is violating a company policy, t he way employers respond to and investigate employee complaints is critical to protect the employer from or assist in its defense of an employment-related lawsuit . This article will discuss four common mistakes employers make when conducting internal workplace investigations and what can be done to avoid them. 1. Delayed Investigation Employers often improperly delay internal workplace investigations. As soon as an employer receives an employee complaint, they should immediately begin to evaluate and investigate that complaint. Regardless of whether an employee makes a complaint directly or in passing or whether it’s in person, in writing, or telephonically, it should trigger swift action by the employer. From a practical standpo...