‍There is a strong link between mental health and workplace bullying. According to a study by the Workplace Bullying Institute, as many as 42% of employees have left an organization because of workplace bullying.

Workplace bullying can also lead to other issues such as high turnover rate, low team morale and lower productivity. However, the good news is that employers can take steps to reduce the risk of their employees being bullied by creating a safe and respectful work environment. Read on for some useful tips on how you can address this issue in your organisation…

Establish a clear code of conduct

The first thing you need to do is establish a clear code of conduct. This should include your organisation’s expectations of employees, their manager’s expectations of the employee and what the employee can expect from their manager.

The code of conduct should also include a clear process for addressing issues, such as workplace bullying. If you do not have a code of conduct, now is the perfect time to put one in place.

Make sure employees know where to turn to

If you have an established employee assistance programme (EAP), then make sure employees know how to access this service. EAPs help employees deal with a range of issues, such as stress, depression, anxiety and substance abuse.

If you do not have an EAP, then you should make sure employees know who they can turn to in the organisation for help. The person they should go to should not be in their direct line of management.

Train your HR team & managers

Make sure your HR team and managers are trained in handling sensitive issues. This will help them deal with these issues in an appropriate manner. In addition, make sure managers are aware of the risks associated with workplace bullying. Your managers should be trained on how to recognise the signs of bullying and what to do if it happens.

Don’t ignore rumours

If you have heard rumours about an employee being bullied, it is important not to ignore them. Instead, talk to the employee who has raised the issue to find out more about what is happening. Instead of dismissing the rumours, write down what you have heard, who the rumours are about and the impact it is having on the team.

Conclusion

There is a strong link between mental health and workplace bullying. If you want to reduce the risk of your employees being bullied, you should establish a clear code of conduct, make sure employees know where to turn to and train your HR team & managers.

Don’t ignore rumours if you have heard rumours about an employee being bullied, instead, talk to the employee who has raised the issue to find out more about what is happening.

Contact Jolasers for help with a Workplace Bullying Investigation in Melbourne.

Workplace bullying: Violence, Harassment and Bullying Fact sheet

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Why Bad Managers Raise the Risk of Office Bullying

By Stephen Oliver on

12 October 2022

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‍People who work in offices can suffer from bullying behavior by their managers. The same person who is supposed to support and develop staff members can instead undermine, ignore, criticize, and humiliate them.

If you are a manager in an office, keep reading to know why a bad manager can lead to office bullying. You might not mean to be a bad manager but there are many ways that this happens without our realizing it.

We all have good days and bad days as managers but these habits can become ingrained if we’re not careful. Read on for 5 things that make you a bad manager—and how to stop being one.

You Don’t Know What Makes Your Employees Happy

Managers who are bad at their jobs tend to ignore the factors that make their employees happy. They don’t ask what their employees’ needs and desires are and they don’t try to meet them. You might be distracted by your own goals and desires (I want to meet sales targets! I want to increase profitability!) but these don’t necessarily dovetail with your employees’ needs (I want to feel valued! I want to have time to be with my family!).

If you want people to be happy in their jobs, the first step is to find out what they need and want. You don’t know if your employees are happy and you don’t know what they need from you. That’s a bad place to start.

You Don’t Care About Your Employees’ Growth

You might care about everything else about your employees’ happiness but you don’t care about their growth. If you don’t care about your employees’ growth and development, you’re a bad manager who is likely to lead to office bullying.

But why does it matter, exactly? It’s been proven that people who grow in their jobs are happier, more productive, and less likely to leave the company. But you also see people change as they grow.

As you help people develop, they learn to be better at their jobs and they learn new skills and ways of thinking that might not have happened otherwise. When you care about employees’ growth and development, you’re helping them become better people.

Your Communication Is Poor

Many managers are poor communicators who are likely to lead to office bullying. Communication isn’t just talking—it’s all of the ways that you interact with your employees to convey information and support.

Managers who don’t respect their employees’ time and attention are almost guaranteed to be bad managers who lead to office bullying.

Bad managers might not realize that communicating poorly is a sign of disrespect. If you’re bad at communicating, you’re probably too busy to notice. You’ll be off doing your own thing, communicating in your own way.

You Don’t Solve Problems for Your Staffers

If you see a problem and you do nothing, you’re a bad manager.

Managers who are bad at their jobs often don’t solve problems for their staff members. You might not notice that one of your employees is overloaded because you’re too busy with your own stuff. Or you might be the type of person who likes to solve problems on your own, no matter how big or small.

If you have a problem with an employee, you’re probably going to solve it. But what about when one of your employees has a problem? Do you step in and solve it for them? Of course not—managers solve problems for themselves, not their employees.

You Don’t Value Diversity & Inclusion

If you don’t value diversity and inclusion, you’re a bad manager who is likely to lead to office bullying.

Bad managers don’t care about their employees’ differences or help them integrate with the rest of the team. They don’t want to see themselves as bad managers but they don’t notice the impact of not caring about diversity and inclusion. Bad managers don’t want to see themselves as bad managers. They don’t want to see the ways that they lead to office bullying. They don’t want to change. They’re comfortable with their actions and the way that they treat people. And why would they change? They’re getting what they want.

Conclusion

Bad managers can lead to a toxic work culture with office bullying. If you are a manager, you can prevent this by recognizing why bad managers do this. You can do this by being aware of your own actions and making changes as needed.

Talk to us about your Melbourne Workplace Bullying Investigation

https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1702/guide-preventing-responding-workplace-bullying.pdf

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The Complete Guide to Preventing Employee Workplace Investigations Melbourne

By Stephen Oliver on

11 October 2022

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Working in HR or any other department that regularly deals with employee misconduct probably means you’ve seen your fair share of employee investigations. If you work in HR, the chances are even higher. In fact, many Human Resources professionals will go through several employee investigations throughout their career. And if you’re working as an HR professional, you can bet that these numbers will only increase.

In this blog post, we share everything you need to know about preventing employee investigations and what to do when an investigation happens anyway. So read on to learn more about employee investigations and how you can prevent them from happening again!

What is an Employee Investigation?

An employee investigation is a thorough and impartial inquiry into suspicious or illegal activity that may be taking place in a company’s workforce. The goal of the investigation is to reveal the truth and take the appropriate action.

Employee investigations typically happen in companies where there is a risk of fraud or there is a serious breach of policy or regulation.

The Importance of Preventing Employee Investigations

HR plays a central role in preventing employee investigations. The best way to do that is by creating a safe and supportive workplace culture with clear policies and procedures. This will help you avoid policies being broken, which means you won’t have to deal with employee investigations. For example, a workplace culture that promotes open communication and encourages employees to feel comfortable reporting any suspicious activity will greatly reduce the risk of employee investigations.

You’ll want to make sure your policies are easy to find and understand, and that they reflect the company’s values. And policies that are regularly reviewed and updated are even better!

HR Plays a Crucial Role in Employee Investigations

First and foremost, if you’re in HR, you’re primarily concerned with protecting the employees. In many cases, the people being investigated are your co-workers. So you’re definitely in a position where you want to do everything you can to avoid investigations.

Beyond that, if you work in HR, you’re the one who will have to manage any investigations once they start. If you’ve ever watched a TV crime show, you’ll know that investigators will look for clues. They’ll search for information, examine documents, and interview various parties involved to track down evidence that will lead them to their conclusion. The same is true for HR investigations. When you’re dealing with an investigation, you want to ensure you’re leaving no stone unturned.

Strategies to Avoid Employee Investigations

Create a safe and supportive workplace culture – As we’ve already mentioned, one of the best ways to avoid employee investigations is to create a safe and supportive workplace culture. This will allow you to proactively address any issues before they turn into major violations or problems.

Make policies easy to find and understand – Policies are what separate a great workplace from a bad one. If employees don’t know what they’re supposed to be doing and how they’re supposed to do it, they’re likely to break the rules. Make sure all of your policies are easy to find, understand, and accessible. They should be posted on the company intranet and be easily accessible through an online portal for all employees.

Regularly review and update your policies – We’ve already talked about the importance of keeping your policies up to date. Employees are always changing, as are their circumstances. And many times there’s a better way to do something that you may have been doing for years. Regularly review your company policies and find ways to improve them.

Hire the right people – This is often overlooked, but a huge part of preventing employee investigations is hiring the right people. It’s amazing what a new hire can bring to a company. But it’s also amazing how quickly things can go downhill if you hire the wrong person. Make sure you are thorough in your hiring process, and if you find red flags, don’t hire that person!

Conclusions

We all know that being an HR professional comes with its own set of unique challenges. And unfortunately, employee investigations are one of those challenges that comes with the territory.

Employee investigations are often unavoidable, but they don’t have to be unmanageable. By taking preventative action and creating a safe and supportive workplace culture, you can greatly reduce the risk of employee investigations.

For help with your Employee Workplace Investigation in Melbourne or Regional Victoria contact Jolasers Investigations on 0418 101 164

https://vpsc.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Managing-Poor-behaviour-in-the-workplace-version-2.pdf

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Sexual Harassment: The Duty to Transform the Workplace

By Stephen Oliver on

8 October 2022

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In the wake of the #MeToo movement and other high profile sexual harassment scandals, businesses are taking a closer look at their sexual harassment policies and company culture.

Many employers are now taking steps to proactively address workplace sexual harassment and preventative measures. In an ideal world, employees would not feel afraid to report incidents of sexual harassment or be fearful that coming forward will have negative repercussions. Everyone should be able to work in a safe environment free from unwanted advances, propositions, or derogatory comments about a person’s sex. Unfortunately, this is hardly the case for many employees in every industry — even some businesses with progressive cultures that publicly support gender equity.

It is up to all employers to foster environments where employees trust their supervisors and feel comfortable reporting unacceptable behavior without fear of reprisal.

What is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, inappropriate touching, hugging or any other type of physical or verbal behaviour of a sexual nature that makes someone feel uncomfortable or unsafe at work.

Sexual harassment can happen in person or online through emails, texts and social media. Sexual harassment does not always involve a supervisor or manager. Anyone in the workplace can harass another person, including colleagues who are at the same level as the victim.

It is important to remember that someone who has been sexually harassed is not responsible for stopping the behaviour.

The Importance of Having a Clear Harassment Policy

Businesses have a legal obligation to protect employees from sexual harassment, but what happens when an employer fails to do so? In some cases, an employee may be able to take legal action against the company for failing to meet its legal responsibilities under the jurisdiction’s discrimination laws.

In these situations, if the company has a clear anti-harassment policy in place, they have a better chance of defending themselves against allegations of negligence. The first step to creating a safe work environment is having a well-defined sexual harassment policy in place that clearly outlines what constitutes inappropriate behavior.

The policy should include information about who is responsible for reporting incidents of sexual harassment, what types of conduct are considered inappropriate, and the disciplinary action that will be taken against those found responsible.

Train Employees on Your Firm’s Anti-Harassment Policies

After a clear sexual harassment policy is in place, companies should actively train employees on the policy. This means making sexual harassment training a regular part of your onboarding process, as well as an annual or bi-annual company meeting.

Regular sexual harassment training is particularly important in industries where a lot of off-the-cuff socialising occurs at conferences, trade shows, and other business-related events. Here, sexual harassment may be more likely to occur because of the close quarters and relaxed environment, as well as the increased consumption of alcohol.

Several companies have created online sexual harassment training courses to help employees navigate these issues. You can also find online sexual harassment training videos through YouTube. You may also be able to find sexual harassment training in your industry through government or non-profit organizations.

Provide an Easy Way for Employees to Report Incidents of Abuse

Businesses should provide an easy and accessible way for employees to report sexual harassment incidents. This could be a hotline, an email address, or a written complaint form that allows employees to report any incidents of sexual harassment confidentially.

This type of reporting system is essential for a number of reasons.

First, it allows employees to report harassment without fear of reprisal.

Second, it gives the company a chance to investigate the incident and take appropriate disciplinary action against the employee responsible.

Third, it provides companies with the opportunity to create a record of incidents of sexual harassment that they can refer to if they are ever sued for failing to take action.

Keeping a record of this type of data can help businesses prove they have taken sexual harassment seriously and have taken appropriate action to prevent the problem from recurring.

Conclusions

Sexual harassment can happen in any workplace and to anyone. It is the responsibility of employers to create a safe and inclusive work environment in which all employees feel comfortable reporting incidents of harassment.

To do so, employers must clearly define what constitutes inappropriate behaviour and actively train employees on their policies. Additionally, businesses must provide an easy and accessible way for employees to report harassment, as well as keep accurate records of any complaints filed and investigations.

Sexual harassment defined

If you have had a sexual harassment complaint lodged call Jolasers Investigations to discuss how they can assist.

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It’s Time to Tackle Bullying in the Workplace: How You Can Prevent Your Employees from Being Bullied.

By Stephen Oliver on

7 October 2022

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It’s no secret that the modern workplace is fraught with competition, stress, and varying degrees of tension. In fact, it may even feel like things are getting worse. In some workplaces, this competitive energy manifests in a phenomenon known as workplace bullying—intentionally hurtful actions or words used to target an individual repeatedly over time with the intention of damaging their reputation or social standing.

Unfortunately, workplace bullying has become more commonplace. It is estimated that up to 70% of employees have been targets of this type of abuse at work at some point in their career. It can be tempting to ignore or downplay the effects of workplace bullying on your team; after all, we’re not talking about physical violence here. But while words may not leave scars like knife wounds do, they can still be incredibly damaging over time and lead to negative long-term effects on both those who are bullied and those who witness it happen.

What Constitutes Bullying in the Workplace?

For our purposes, workplace bullying often refers to a pattern of verbal or emotional abuse that is repetitive and happens over a period of time. This can include anything from making ongoing comments that are meant to belittle an employee, to excluding them from meeting participation or training opportunities, or creating an overall toxic environment at the office.

This type of bullying is not only harmful to the victim, but it can also have a negative impact on the rest of the team, who may feel added pressure to conform and avoid being bullied themselves.

Why Is Tackling Bullying So Important?

There are many reasons why tackling workplace bullying is so important. At the most basic level, a workplace environment in which people are feeling bullied is not likely to be a productive one. In fact, in many cases, workplace bullying can cause talented employees to flee their jobs, resulting in costly turnover.

Beyond that, there are also very real and serious psychological effects associated with workplace bullying, including increased risk of depression, anxiety, and even suicide among bullying targets.

Not only are these employees more likely to end up needing time off due to mental health issues, they may also be less productive while they are at work and less likely to be creative and productive overall.

Strategies for Combating Workplace Bullying

The best way to combat workplace bullying is to address it head on. The more you allow bullying to fester in your work environment, the more serious and widespread it is likely to become.

For your company culture to be one in which bullying is actively discouraged, it is important to have a clear understanding of what constitutes bullying, to make sure that your company policies and practices reflect this, and to have a clear plan of action for when bullying incidents arise.

Establish Clear Boundaries and Be Firm When Enforcing Them

No one likes to be told what to do—especially in the workplace. But sometimes, especially when dealing with creative fields, it can be important to establish rules and expectations early on so that everyone is on the same page and knows what the boundaries are within the company.

While some workers thrive in an environment where they are given a lot of autonomy, others prefer a more tightly controlled environment, or at least one where they know what the rules are and what’s expected of them. Communicating these boundaries in a clear and consistent way can help to prevent bullying and create a culture where everyone feels safe and included.

Provide Anti-Bullying Training and Education

This is one of the most important ways to combat bullying in your workplace, make sure all of your employees are educated about the dangers of bullying and know how to report it.

Depending on the nature of your business, this might also apply to your clients and other job holders you work with. Providing training on bullying is the best way to make sure that everyone understands what bullying looks like and knows what to do about it when they see it happening. This can be as simple as providing your employees with information about what bullying is, examples of what it looks like, and what steps they should take when they witness it in the office.

Provide a Safe Environment for Employees to Report Incidents of Bullying

One of the most important ways to fight workplace bullying is to make sure that employees know they can report incidents of bullying and feel safe doing so.

One of the most common ways that bullying manifests is through gossip and backstabbing. It may sound silly, but gossip and office rumours can be incredibly damaging and toxic, not just to the people who are the subject of these rumours, but to the whole office environment.

When an employee feels like they can’t report incidents, or feel like they won’t be taken seriously when they do, it can seriously hinder your efforts to combat bullying in the office.

Have Clear Internal Communication Protocols

While some industries and companies are notoriously secretive about what’s going on behind closed doors, others are much more open about sharing information with their employees. Regardless of the industry you work in, it is likely that you will have information that must remain strictly confidential.

Offices often have rules about what can and cannot be shared over email or other forms of digital communication. This is important not just because it can protect your clients’ privacy, but also because it can prevent bullying from happening through careless communication.

While some forms of bullying are obvious, others are much less so. Gossip and backstabbing can be a form of bullying, especially if it is repeated and done with the intention of damaging someone’s reputation. Whether you’re an employer or an employee, you need to be aware of how and when these types of bullying occur so you can take steps to stop them.

Conclusion

No one likes to think about workplace bullying and many employers like to downplay the risk of it happening in their office. But the unfortunate truth is that bullying is a very real problem in many offices and can have serious negative effects on employee satisfaction, creativity, and productivity.

Fortunately, many of these problems can be avoided by actively addressing the issue of bullying, providing anti-bullying training and education, and creating a safe environment for employees to report these incidents. With these strategies in place, you can protect your employees from the harmful effects of workplace bullying and create a culture that values compassion and collaboration

More details on how Jolasers Investigations can assist with your sensitive Melbourne bullying investigation – Click Here.

What is Bullying?

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Ways to Deal with a Sensitive Workplace Investigation.

By Stephen Oliver on

6 October 2022

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In a sensitive workplace investigation, the stakes are high for all parties involved. A HR representative must navigate tricky waters to ensure that the investigation is conducted fairly and that everyone remains comfortable throughout the process.

But what if your employee feels like she’s being treated unfairly? What if your employee becomes so uncomfortable that he/she begins looking for another job? What if you fear the repercussions of this investigation will bleed over into every department?

There could be several sensitive factors in play during any workplace investigation, but here are three ways to deal with them.

Communicate the Process from the Start

No matter how sensitive the investigation, your employees should know exactly what they are supposed to do. For example, they should know who they should report to, how they should report the incident, and how long the investigation will take.

If you work in a large organization with many HR procedures, your employees may already know this information. If not, communicating the process in detail will ensure that your employees don’t feel blindsided by the investigation.

A good way to communicate this information is by including it in an employee handbook. Your handbook is something employees will have access to in both professional and personal settings – so it’s a good place to start. If your organization doesn’t have a handbook, you can easily create one using a website like Squarespace.

Be transparent about your HR policies and investigations

As you conduct your investigation, make sure your employees understand why you’re asking a particular question or requesting a certain piece of information. If your employee feels like you’re constantly asking for more information than necessary, their experience of this investigation could become unbearable.

Conducting investigations can be time consuming and emotionally draining. Keeping the lines of communication open with your employee will help you get through it faster. If your employee is confused about why you’re asking a certain question, they may assume the worst. This can set them up to feel like the investigation is rigged against them – which will make the rest of the investigation even more uncomfortable.

Be transparent about the reasons for the investigation

Your employee might be wondering why this investigation is happening in the first place. If it isn’t related to a complaint they have made, maybe they are just worried about being investigated for no reason. If you’re conducting an investigation that is unrelated to any complaint made by your employee, make sure they understands the reasons for it. You may not be able to give them additional information, but you can let him know that the investigation has nothing to do with them.

If you conduct a sensitive investigation and don’t reveal the reasons for it, your employees will be left to assume the worst. They may think that you’re targeting them because of their age, race, gender, etc. If you don’t make clear that the investigation has nothing to do with any protected class, your employees may feel forced to quit.

Allow your employees to have a voice – even during sensitive investigations

It’s important to remember that even during sensitive investigations, your employees deserve a voice. If there is anything they would like to be added to the investigation, ask them to submit a memo.

If you’re conducting an investigation into discrimination or harassment, your employee may feel like he can’t have a voice or contribute to the investigation. If you conduct your investigation in a way that allows for a voice, they may feel more comfortable participating in the process. If your employee is experiencing discrimination or harassment, they may be afraid that speaking out will make the situation worse. Assure them that you’re conducting an investigation so that the situation can be resolved once and for all.

Conclusion

It’s important to remember that no matter how sensitive the investigation is, you must conduct it fairly. If your employee feels like he’s being treated unfairly during the investigation, they may file a complaint with HR or management.

When conducting investigations into sensitive situations, keep the following tips in mind: communicate the process from the start, be transparent about your HR policies and investigations, be transparent about the reasons for the investigation, and allow your employees to have a voice. By doing so, you can conduct a fair and comfortable investigation even when the situation is sensitive.

For more info on conducting sensitive workplace investigations Click Here.

details of Fairwork Australia Workplace Investigations

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How to Fix a Toxic Work Culture: A Guide to Creating a Positive Workplace

By Stephen Oliver on

5 October 2022

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A Guide to Creating a Positive Workplace

https://jolasers.com.au/hr-investigation-melbourne/Toxic work environments are a negative, stressful place to be. They’re filled with fear, mistrust, and constant criticism. The people you work with seem more like adversaries than colleagues. The culture at your office makes it almost impossible to trust your coworkers or feel comfortable sharing ideas.

All of these things can change because toxic work cultures are not permanent. You can change the way you work together as a team. You can create a positive culture that is collaborative, trusting, and productive so that everyone looks forward to showing up for work every day again.

Read on for our guide on how to fix a toxic work culture – fast!

Communicate and listen to understand

Communication is the foundation of any healthy workplace. If you don’t feel like you can share your ideas or don’t trust that the other team members are listening to what you have to say, it’s nearly impossible to feel good about your job. One of the best ways to begin to address a toxic culture at work is to start communicating better.

This means being more conscious of the messages you’re sending to others, and how that’s impacting the way people feel in the office. It also means being more conscious of how you’re receiving information from others. Are you ready to hear what your colleagues have to say, or are you only interested in sharing your own ideas? Being a good communicator means listening to understand.

Don’t wait for meetings to communicate

Meetings are an essential part of any office culture. However, they often lead to more stress and frustration than they solve. Waiting for a meeting to discuss something that could be handled in a few sentences over email doesn’t make sense. It wastes valuable time that could be used to accomplish more. It also makes everyone involved feel bogged down and overworked.

It can be easy to fall into the habit of waiting for a scheduled meeting to discuss simple issues. But doing this can create a culture where meetings feel necessary for everything. This can lead to people scheduling meetings for the sake of having a meeting.

This is the opposite of what you should be doing. Instead, try to avoid scheduling meetings for simple issues that can be handled in a sentence or two over email. See if you can handle the issue without a meeting, and if not, communicate about it in a quick, efficient meeting.

Build a sense of trust

Trust is the foundation of any positive workplace culture. If your employees don’t trust each other or the people they work for, they won’t feel safe sharing ideas or speaking up about issues they see.

This will cause them to become less efficient, less productive, and create a negative work environment.

One way to build a sense of trust at work is to hold what Harvard calls “safe meetings” where you outline the ground rules of how you want your team to communicate with each other. This could mean no one is allowed to interrupt anyone else, or it could mean that everyone is expected to speak thoughtfully and not just state their opinion.

You can also hold regular team-building exercises as a group to help everyone get to know each other better so there is a sense of trust between coworkers.

Foster collaboration and efficiency

Another way to create a positive workplace culture is to make sure that your team is collaborating effectively and efficiently. Collaboration is a key part of creating a positive work environment.

When you encourage your team to discuss different ideas and solutions, you allow everyone to share their creativity and insights. You also allow everyone to feel more involved in the work they do and invested in the outcome of their projects. Collaboration also helps to create efficiency by allowing everyone to share their knowledge and expertise with others so that no one is doing the same tasks twice.

To foster collaboration on your team, make sure that everyone is actively engaged in the projects they are working on. This means having regular check-in meetings where you discuss challenges, progress, and next steps. It also means encouraging your team to have regular brainstorming sessions where everyone is allowed to contribute ideas and suggestions.

Celebrate success together

Finally, make sure that you celebrate your team’s success. Celebrating success is a great way to foster a positive work culture by showing your team that you value their work. It also allows you to build a sense of camaraderie and gratitude between coworkers so that everyone feels a part of the team.

Depending on your type of work, there are many ways you can celebrate success. This could mean taking your team out to lunch, giving out small prizes and gifts, or even just thanking everyone for their hard work and contributions towards a project’s success. Celebrating success also means being ready to accept when something doesn’t go as planned. You want to make sure that you are prepared to handle failure as a team as well.

Conclusion

Toxic work cultures are stressful, negative places to be. They’re filled with fear, mistrust, and constant criticism. But all of these things can change because toxic work cultures are not permanent.

You can change the way you work together as a team. You can create a positive culture that is collaborative, trusting, and productive so that everyone looks forward to showing up for work every day again.

For a company that has vast experience handling complex workplace investigations call Jolasers Investigations.

The definition of a Positive Workplace

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Step-by-Step Guide on How to Conduct Effective Workplace Investigations

By Stephen Oliver on

4 October 2022

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Step-by-Step Guide on How to Conduct Effective Workplace Investigations.

A workplace investigation is an activity conducted by a company to investigate and analyze a specific event that has occurred. Workplace investigations are often conducted by companies when there is suspicion of misconduct or other illegal activities occurring within the organization.

Workplace investigations can be stressful for employees, supervisors, and managers because they can uncover issues such as discrimination, abuse, or other misconduct that may not be widely known but needs to be addressed.

While an investigation may feel like an attack at first, it’s actually a good thing for all involved because it brings issues to light so they can be resolved and trust restored. A workplace investigation does not need to bring stress into your work environment; instead, they should foster a culture of trust and honesty so you can continue working productively with your colleagues in the future.

Here are some tips on how you can conduct effective workplace investigations:

Establish a Culture of Honesty and Transparency

A workplace investigation is not always necessary and could be avoided if employees were more transparent with their supervisors.

If you want to avoid workplace investigations, you need to create a culture of honesty and transparency so that your employees feel comfortable being open and honest with one another. This can happen when employees feel accepted, appreciated, and valued by their co-workers, as well as their supervisor.

When employees feel cared for and know that they have a voice, they are going to be less likely to feel the need to engage in misconduct, such as stealing from the company, or be reticent about speaking up when they see misconduct happening around them.

Set Clear Expectations and Communication Channels

When you set clear expectations for employees about what is expected of them and what is expected of them by their co-workers and supervisors, it helps create a culture of honesty and transparency.

Employees should know what is considered acceptable and what is not acceptable within the organization, as well as know how to report issues, concerns, and suspicions they have about other employees or managers. When you set clear expectations, you are also communicating that you care about your employees and want them to feel comfortable coming forward when they have issues, but you also want them to know what is expected of them so they can avoid issues in the first place.

Define Scope

Before you even begin to conduct your workplace investigation, you need to define the scope of the investigation to avoid going off track and wasting time, energy, and resources.

You can decide to investigate a single employee or a group of employees, a single incident or a series of incidents, or a specific department or section within your organization. You can also decide how far back in time the investigation will go. The further back in time you want to go with your investigation, the more work you are going to have to do as more information may have been lost or destroyed over time.

Next, you need to determine what your goals are for the investigation. Why are you conducting an investigation? What are you trying to determine or prove with the investigation? What are you hoping to find out? What questions do you hope to answer? The clearer you are about what you are investigating and why, the easier it will be to stay on target with your investigation and avoid getting sidetracked.

Select the Investigator(s)

Once you have defined the scope of your investigation, you need to decide who will conduct the investigation and what their qualifications are.

While you could conduct the investigation yourself, most times you will want to bring in a third-party investigator (someone outside of your organization) to conduct the investigation. You can choose from many different types of investigators, such as an independent investigator, a private investigator, or a third-party investigator.

Whichever type of investigator you decide to bring in, make sure they are qualified and have experience conducting workplace investigations. You want to make sure that your investigation is conducted properly so you can trust the findings. When deciding who will conduct the investigation, you also need to consider what biases and/or relationships they have that could influence their findings.

Prepare Interviewing Strategies and Questions

Once you have decided what you are investigating, what your goals are for the investigation, and who will conduct the investigation, you need to prepare your interview strategies and questions.

Your interview strategies and questions should be based on your goals for the investigation. You want to make sure you ask questions that are relevant to your investigation so you can get the answers you are looking for. You do not want to ask questions that are too vague or open-ended that they would get you no answers. You also don’t want to ask questions that are too specific that they could be easily answered.

Make sure you have a wide range of questions prepared so you have plenty of options to choose from, but also have some questions that are open-ended. Make sure to use a variety of different interview strategies and questions for each person you interview. While you may have a specific set of questions for one person, you may have a different set of questions for another person. This way, you cover all your bases and get the information you are looking for.

Hold the Interview(s)

Once you have prepared your interview strategies and questions, it’s time to hold the interviews. Depending on the type of workplace investigation you are conducting, the interviews you need to conduct could be one-on-one, one-on-few, or one-on-many.

It’s important to remember that the people you interview are under no obligation to cooperate with you and are not required to disclose anything they do not want to disclose. It is important to remember that you are conducting an investigation, not an interrogation. Interrogations make people nervous because it feels like an attack, whereas an interview where you are seeking information feels more like a conversation.

Make sure to take some time to prepare before each interview so you feel connected and are ready to go with your interview strategies and questions. Make sure you are relaxed and ready so you can receive the information you need from the interview. Stay focused, be kind, and be professional. You want to make sure that the interview stays on track and gets the information you need.

Wrap-Up

Finally, you need to wrap up your workplace investigation. This is what will help ensure that the investigation was effective because it will help bring closure to the situation. When you wrap up the investigation, you need to recap what you discovered, what you learned, and what you plan to do moving forward as a result of the investigation.

You want to make sure that all your employees know what happened, what was discovered, and what the company is going to do moving forward as a result of the investigation. This way, everyone feels informed and included, and they can move forward with a clean slate knowing that the issues were addressed and the organization is moving in a positive direction. Plus, wrapping up the investigation will help you learn from it so you can make any necessary improvements and avoid conducting another investigation in the future.

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Legal definition of a Workplace Investigation…

blog

Save Your Company From Sexual Harassment Scandals

By Stephen Oliver on

3 October 2022

- blog

Create New Hiring Policies That Will Save Your Company From Sexual Harassment Scandals

The recent outbreak of sexual harassment scandals has highlighted the risks associated with hiring employees, as well as the company’s existing hiring policies. It is no longer sufficient to rely on standard interview questions and resume screening when vetting job candidates. The risk of sexual harassment lawsuits means that companies must take further steps to protect themselves from potential liability. In response, many businesses are revising their hiring policies and practices to include more thorough vetting procedures and safeguards against liability. These changes will help protect your company against future scandals involving inappropriate behavior in the workplace. Let’s take a look at some best practices that you can implement today to reduce the risk of sexual harassment in your company.

Hiring Basics: Know the Signs of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is a type of discrimination that occurs when a person is targeted for unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct because of their gender. Sexual harassment can occur in many different contexts: At work, on the street, in schools, in places of worship, and in many other settings. Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that violates Section 28A of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth). The core principle of sexual harassment is that certain forms of unwanted or unwelcome sexual conduct is so severe or pervasive that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or results in an adverse employment decision.

Train Internal Employees on How to Recognize and Report Harassment

In order to avoid sexual harassment lawsuits, it is critical to train your employees on how to recognize and report harassment incidents. Employees who feel safe reporting harassment will be more likely to report incidents. This will help you to identify potential problems before they escalate into lawsuits. For instance, your employees should be trained to report instances of sexual harassment such as aggressive or lewd comments, unwanted sexual advances, and sexually suggestive images or comments displayed at work. This training should be mandatory and included as part of your company’s onboarding program.

Create a Written Interview Protocol

A written interview protocol will help you to keep a consistent approach to interviewing job candidates. It will also enable you to identify potential red flags during the interview process. The best way to implement a written protocol is to conduct interviews in private offices, rather than open-plan offices or conference rooms. This will allow you to maintain discretion and ensure privacy during the interview process. When conducting interviews, it is critical to ask questions that go beyond basic resume information. You should ask candidates about their past experience and how they would approach specific challenges. You should also adopt a set of questions that are designed to reveal potential red flags and problematic past experiences.

Implement Background Checks

If the candidate is currently employed, you can use a reference check to confirm the facts in their resume and spot potential discrepancies. A background check can provide greater insight into the candidate’s past experiences, skills, and education. It can also reveal any past indiscretions or criminal convictions that are not listed on the candidate’s resume. For example, you should use a background check to confirm the candidate’s education and verify that they attended the schools they claim to have attended. You should also use a background check to look for any signs of misconduct or criminal convictions.

Create a Code of Conduct

A code of conduct is essential in reducing the risk of sexual harassment in your company. You should create and implement a detailed code of conduct that clearly outlines the types of behavior that is prohibited in the workplace. A code of conduct should include information on how to report unwanted sexual advances or misconduct, as well as instructions on how to report violations of the code of conduct. A code of conduct should clearly state that sexual harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. It should also include instructions on how to report sexual harassment, either directly or anonymously. It is critical to share the details of your code of conduct with all employees, including management and executives. You can also include it in your employee onboarding program to ensure that all employees are aware of the rules.

Conclusion

The recent surge in harassment scandals has highlighted the risks associated with hiring employees, as well as the company’s existing hiring policies. One way to reduce the risk of sexual harassment in your company is to revise your hiring policies and practices to include more thorough vetting procedures and safeguards against liability. These changes will help protect you against future scandals involving inappropriate behavior in the workplace.

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For the definition of Sexual Harassment

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Establish a Culture of Honesty and Transparency

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Wrap-Up

Save Your Company From Sexual Harassment Scandals

Create New Hiring Policies That Will Save Your Company From Sexual Harassment Scandals

Hiring Basics: Know the Signs of Sexual Harassment

Train Internal Employees on How to Recognize and Report Harassment

Create a Written Interview Protocol

Implement Background Checks

Create a Code of Conduct

Conclusion

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