HR Investigation Melbourne

The Importance of Human Resources Investigation for Employers

Human resources investigation is a broad term used to describe the investigative activities undertaken by an employer when there is some form of misconduct, poor performance, or other issue that needs to be resolved.

Given its importance as one of the main pillars of any business, we have put together this article so you know exactly what Human Resources Investigation entails and why it’s so important for your company.

Why is HR Investigation Melbourne Important?

Many businesses have clear policies and procedures in place for dealing with employee issues, especially in relation to terminations. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and even when policies are in place, they are often not followed.

When an HR investigation is not performed, you could lose key staff, incur unnecessary expenses, and even face legal issues.

An investigation is necessary to determine what went wrong and why. It gives you a clear idea of what the problem is and how it can be resolved. It allows you to have a record of what occurred, who was involved and when. This can help prevent misunderstandings, especially if the issue is ongoing and in relation to more than one employee. It can help strengthen your company policies and procedures by providing you with a clear idea of what went wrong and how to prevent it.

When is Melbourne HR Investigation Necessary?

A thorough investigation by HR is often necessary when:

There is a suspicion of fraud or other criminal activity, particularly when you’re dealing with public or government funds.     Anyone who has access to these funds must undergo a thorough background check to ensure they’re not a criminal.

You have an employee who is underperforming. If an employee is not meeting their goals, is frequently taking sick days, or is otherwise not pulling their weight you need to determine what the problem is and how to resolve it.

You have an employee who is not working out. Whether they’re exhibiting unacceptable behavior or are just unable to do their job, you need to determine what the problem is and how to resolve it.

Types of Human Resources Investigations

There are many types of human resources investigations, and the type of investigation you conduct will depend on the issue at hand.

The most common types of HR investigations are:

Background Check – A background check is used to determine the past work history of your potential or current employees. You can also use a background check to determine the criminal history of your employees. A background check is often done through a private investigator.

Employee Theft Investigation – Employee theft happens when an employee steals from their employer. In this type of HR investigation, you will likely have your employees fill out a detailed timesheet tracking their time. You will also likely have supervisors oversee their employees in order to prevent theft.

Employee Termination Investigation – When you terminate an employee, you will almost always need to do some form of HR investigation. This is because you will want to know if they have committed any wrongful acts or if they are entitled to any benefits.

Sexual Harassment Investigation – Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that happens when an employer or other employees in a workplace make unwanted sexual advances on a fellow employee. This could also include comments or other acts that are offensive.

Wrongful Termination Investigation – When an employee is fired, they may file a wrongful termination lawsuit against you. In order to avoid paying out on these lawsuits, you will want to determine if the termination was warranted.

The Importance of Due Diligence in HR Investigation

When an employee is terminated, you will most likely have to provide them with a form of due diligence. This is done to let the employee know that their termination is not linked to discrimination, wrongful termination, or some other issue. For example, if you terminate an employee for poor performance, you would need to issue them a form of due diligence.

When issuing termination due diligence forms, you will likely have to provide them with a reason for termination. This is where due diligence in HR investigation comes into play. If you do not have proper reasons for termination, you could face legal issues. You will want to make sure that your reasons for termination are valid and that they are not discriminatory in any way.

Conclusion

A human resources investigation is necessary in virtually any business environment. Whether it’s to determine if an employee has stolen from the company, or if there has been sexual harassment in the workplace, HR investigations are essential to a company’s success.

When conducting an HR investigation, you should make sure that you follow the correct protocol and that you gather as much evidence as possible. This will make it easier to come to a conclusion and will also protect you from any false accusations.

HR investigations can be fraught with danger and therefore it is advisable to engage Jolasers to undertake your workplace investigation.

Jolasers have a long history of providing professional workplace bullying investigations. You may wish to consider engaging us to conduct an investigation into any workplace investigations that you have.