Conflicts can arise between co-workers, supervisors and subordinates, or between employees and external stakeholders (i.e., customers, suppliers and regulatory bodies). When they do, it is important to manage those conflicts and to do so in a timely manner.
Where allegations of harassment, bullying, discrimination, theft, workplace violence, fraud or other types of dishonesty are involved, it is mandatory that workplace investigations are conducted in a timely, thorough and objective manner. Other situations that may warrant investigations include:
- Performance issues;
- Disciplinary cases such as allegations of misconduct;
- Complaints (by employees, customers, members of the public);
- Human Rights complaints;
- Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act complaints;
- Occupational Health & Safety Act complaints (harassment, bullying, discrimination, sexual harassment, violence in the workplace); or
- Breaches of internal policy and breaches of law.
We can:
- Support the employer’s team by providing practical advice, principled solutions and decades of proven expertise conducting investigations;
- Conduct or oversee impartial third-party investigations or assist the employer’s team to do so;
- Provide a comprehensive and detailed written report following an investigation detailing the findings;
- Assist the employer’s team to better manage workplace conflict:
- Assist the employer’s team to identify causes of conflict by conducting workplace assessments in which information is gathered relating to the culture, practices or behaviour in the workplace;
- Develop and deliver customized Respect in the Workplace Training to the employer’s team and employees;
- Conduct investigations in which probing interviews are conducted with identified individuals to determine what subsequent processes are required.