How do companies conduct internal investigation?
Internal investigation is an important part of handling certain problems that cannot be resolved informally in the company. Incomplete or flawed investigations can cause employees or certain parties to be vulnerable to unfair claims or have an impact on the financial loss and reputation of the company.
Like IBM experienced in 2015, it was a lawsuit case from its former Vice President who felt stopped from work for no fundamental reason – too old. According to the court jury, the results of the company’s HR investigation tend to be only on the one hand and unable to provide evidence to break demands. IBM finally had to make peace by paying a fine of US $ 4.1 million to Castellucio.
How to conduct an internal investigation?
1. Appoint an investigator
The first step in conducting an internal investigation is to appoint an independent investigator. This investigator can be an HR professional or an external professional, but the key is that they should not have direct authority over any of the individuals involved in the complaint or case. Independence is necessary to ensure the process is objective and unbiased.
It’s important for the company to have a clear, written code of ethics. This code includes company policies, including those for handling complaints. Different types of complaints require different procedures. Based on the code of ethics, the investigator can gather information related to the complained behavior and determine if the activity violates company policies.
2. Create an investigation plan
After appointing the investigator, the next step is to create a structured investigation plan. This plan should include who will be interviewed and what questions will be asked. It’s important to ensure that the investigator obtains information from many involved parties, remains impartial, and is unbiased during the interview process.
3. Gather evidence
Collect and record various supporting evidence available for the investigation. This evidence can be in the form of emails, video recordings, reports, eyewitness interviews, and so on. The evidence collected must be relevant and help depict the actual situation.
4. Final report
The final step in the internal investigation is to compile the final report. This report should summarize the evidence gathered and the recommended outcomes. Include supporting evidence, applicable laws, company rules or policies related to the case, and an outline of the actions that need to be taken. This final report will serve as the basis for the company to make appropriate decisions regarding the issue being investigated.
Why use investigation services?
Using professional investigation services has many benefits. Some of them include:
1. Objectivity
Professional investigation services offer objectivity that might be difficult for an internal investigator to achieve. They are not emotionally or financially involved with the company, making the investigation results more fair and unbiased.
2. Special expertise
Professional investigators have specific expertise and experience in handling various types of cases. They know the best techniques for collecting evidence, conducting interviews, and creating comprehensive reports.
3. Saving time and resources
Using investigation services allows the company to save time and resources. The internal team can remain focused on daily business operations while the professional investigator handles the investigation process.
Working with professional investigation services, such as Integrity Indonesia, helps companies protect their integrity and reputation. Contact us at info@integrity-asia.com or click here for more information on business investigations and other compliance services.
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