We’ve received a harassment complaint at my job, what are the necessary steps for a harassment investigation?
I had something similar happen at my work so I’ve included some of the things we did below. It may be worth talking to an expert though, I’m not hugely knowledgeable.
First, you need to choose an interviewer, this needs to be someone impartial, like an HR representative, a company manager, or an officer. Whoever conducts the interview will need to remain entirely impartial and not go in with presumptions of guilt or innocence.
After that, you would usually interview the person who made the accusation, as well as any witnesses they identified. All questions asked to the accuser should be unbiased and non-pointed. Even if you do believe the accuser, do not make any promises on the company’s behalf.
Once all the interviews have taken place you can make a definitive decision on the nature of the incident. If you think the accuser was correct and they were harassed at work, you will need to outline the disciplinary measures you will be subjecting the individual to. You will also need to report all of your findings and document this in the employee’s file.
Once you have made a decision, all parties involved will need to be informed of the decision and necessary training may need to be implemented to stop another issue from happening in the future. Try a HR consulting service for small businesses.
