HR Investigations
More than a policy on a shelf.
A very high percentage of Employment Tribunal claims are upheld due to poor or non-existent investigations, even if the allegations are true. When an allegation is serious, the business is small, or the complaint involves someone in a senior role, an independent investigation is often the right answer. We conduct impartial, thorough investigations and produce a report that is defensible.
Before You Set Off
Picking Up the Pace
Maintain Momentum
Shifting Up a Gear
Bumps in the Road
Changing Direction
When independence matters
In a small business, conducting a fair investigation internally is often impossible. If the complaint involves the owner, a senior manager, or a close colleague of the investigating manager, the independence of the process is compromised before it begins.
An independent investigator removes that problem. The process is seen to be fair, the findings are more likely to be accepted by all parties, and the risk of a claim on procedural grounds is significantly reduced.
What we do
We take on the full investigation on your behalf. We plan the scope, conduct the interviews, review the documentation, and produce a written investigation report setting out the facts found and the evidence reviewed. We do not reach the disciplinary or grievance outcome, but we give you everything you need to hold a fair hearing.
Where cases involve legal complexity, we work alongside employment solicitors and commercial partners who can provide additional specialist support.
Complex allegations
Some allegations are inherently more complex: those involving allegations of discrimination, those where the complainant and respondent tell fundamentally different stories, those where evidence is disputed or unavailable, and those with potential criminal dimensions.
We have experience across a wide range of complex cases and will be clear from the outset about the scope of the investigation and what to expect from the process.
What is an HR investigation?
An HR investigation is a formal fact-finding process that takes place before a disciplinary hearing or grievance outcome. Its purpose is to establish the facts: what happened, who was involved, what was said, and whether the available evidence supports the allegation.
A good investigation is thorough, impartial, and documented. It involves interviews with relevant witnesses, a review of any written evidence, and a written report setting out the findings. It does not reach the disciplinary conclusion, but it provides the basis on which that conclusion can be made fairly.
Common Questions
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