Recorded Webinar: Rigour, Risk and Role Clarity: The HR Professional’s Guide to Workplace Investigations

Workplace investigations are rarely straightforward. They are often emotionally charged, time-sensitive, and legally high-stakes. A flawed process—or a misstep by HR—can expose the organisation to serious liability, reputational damage, or regulatory scrutiny. Now, with recent legislative changes heightening the need for formal investigations in certain contexts, getting the process right is more important than ever. This session provides a structured and practical guide for HR professionals tasked with conducting or overseeing workplace investigations. It will:

• Set out the hallmarks of an effective, procedurally fair investigation process, including key stages and documentation requirements;
• Clarify when a formal workplace investigation is required, particularly in light of recent legal developments around psychosocial risk, sexual harassment, and safety obligations;
• Define the appropriate role of HR in internal investigations—what to lead, what to delegate, and when to step back;
• Discuss when to escalate to an external investigator and how to select the right one;
• Provide guidance on evidence gathering, including interviews, document handling, and managing informal sources of information;
• Outline how to handle sensitive and/or legally privileged information, including record-keeping, reporting obligations, and what must (and must not) be disclosed.