Planning and Conducting an Investigation - Practical Training from Vista
workplace investigations

Planning and Conducting an Investigation

Overview – Planning and Conducting an Investigation

A one-day practical, participative workshop designed to develop your managers’ skills by using easy-to-use, relatable techniques to plan and conduct a workplace investigation.  We will follow a case study to demonstrate the practical effect of the techniques we explore.

Learning objectives

By attending the training, your managers will be able to:

  • Describe their role as investigator and what their report is designed to deliver according to the legal framework (the law of unfair dismissal and the ACAS Code of Practice).
  • Identify clearly the remit for an investigation and plan an investigation according to a technique.
  • Prepare questions and conduct a meeting with a witness, probing to the extent needed in order to fulfil their remit.
  • Construct an investigation report, describing the evidence gathered, the conclusions they have reached and recommendations in line with what is required by the legal framework.

See what a recent delegate had to say…

Course Overview
TopicContent
Introductions and WelcomeThe objectives for the session
What are we aiming to achieve with our investigation?The legal framework for an investigation
• Your role as an investigator – separating this role from your ‘manager’ and ‘leader’ roles
• Our right to manage disciplinaries and grievances
• The legal framework for a fair dismissal using a flowchart technique
• Explore further the ACAS code of practice ‘Whats’ and ‘Hows’
Starting with the end in mind: The investigation reportIntroduction to/overview of template report – what is it looking to achieve and why?
Reaching conclusions and making recommendations – what’s the difference?
What is your remit?Case study-based exercise to establish the investigator’s remit
Knowing when to stop – the standard of proof.
Planning your investigationUsing a structure to plan your investigation
Analysis of an initial instruction to carry out an investigation using the 3-part planning structure
Investigations ‘logistics’Inviting interviewees to meet you:
In writing, or not?
How much detail do you give – setting the ‘atmosphere’ for the meeting
Who attends the meeting?
What if an employee is suspended
Constructing your interviews planIntroduction to a matrix tool
Planning your investigation meetingOverview of the ‘opening’ and ‘closing’ of an investigation interview
Setting expectations about confidentiality and follow-up meetings
The role of a companion in an investigation meeting?
Questioning techniques for investigatorsThe role of the different types of questions
Sandwich questioning technique and planning using the matrix
Managing your meetingPlanning for the unexpected!
What to do if evidence or recollections don’t not tie up? – know when to stop!
What to do with ‘I can’t remember’
Reaching and recording your conclusions in your reportConflict of evidence? How to get off the fence!
How to phrase your conclusions
What to recommend, and how to do it?
Key learning points from todayWhat’s stood out for you?
and what will you do differently?
Close

 

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