Corporations & Non-Profits
More at stake than reputation.
In a perfect world, people would behave appropriately at all times — especially in the workplace. But life isn’t perfect, and adults don’t always bring their best selves to the job. Which means there may be times when allegations of inappropriate comments or other forms of harassment occur.
Employee complaints about discrimination and sexual harassment need to be taken seriously and addressed promptly, whether by an internal or external review of the circumstances. Looking into the allegations signals to employees that their employer stands by its policies and wants to maintain a collegial and productive workplace culture. By examining complaints, an organization demonstrates that such behavior is not tolerated, and allegations will be investigated.
When accusations are made.
Regardless of what it is or how it’s made, an accusation of inappropriate behavior should always be taken seriously. And getting to the bottom of the incident to understand how it impacts not only the accuser and alleged perpetrator but your company — it’s potential liability and reputation — is critical. Because when you actively engage and undertake an investigation, you signal to all that harassment, discrimination, or a hostile environment are not tolerated and will be dealt with appropriately.
When to investigate.
If you don’t feel equipped to thoroughly review a complaint — because you may have a small human resources department, a lack of expertise, or because the complaint may garner unwelcome publicity — it’s time to rely on an experienced outside investigator to review the allegation. I enter the process without pre-conceived notions about the workplace culture or dynamics and bring an impartial perspective to help resolve the situation.