Any formal proceedings in the workplace should be in line with the policy as stated in the Employee Handbook. Incidents and issues will inevitably arise in any workplace and to ensure that they are dealt with in a fair and consistent manner, it is an employer’s duty to investigate in this way.
The role of the person conducting the meeting is to be fair and objective so that the essential facts of the matter being investigated are established in a justified manner, and a substantial conclusion is reached as to what exactly happened.
It’s also very important that the Chair of the meeting takes into account any evidence that supports or contradicts the allegation. Also, in a potential disciplinary matter, an investigator should attempt to find if there’s case to answer, rather than approaching it from the perspective of proving the guilt of the alleged.
How to ensure a fair process
One of the most common concerns regarding impartiality in a formal disciplinary action is that it may initiate a grievance among employees who feel that the process has not been conducted correctly.
If and when an investigating officer is personally influenced by the people involved in the matter, or is involved in the matter being investigated, the fairness of the process is at stake. This might amount to a breach of rights for the employee to fairly present their views or explanations based on the incident.
Therefore it’s essential to confirm that a person who is truly fair and justified conducts the meeting, rather than someone who already has a prior viewpoint about it.
On certain occasions, it may be advisable to arrange for an independent third party to hold the meetings to ensure that the decision made is unbiased.
If you’d like any further details in relation to on carrying out any formal meeting impartially, you can speak with one of our specialist HR consultants on 01 855 5050.
