A familiar scenario: a bullying complaint lands on your desk about a team leader. The immediate response from management is often, “we have to investigate!”
Sometimes that is exactly what’s required, particularly where there are allegations of serious misconduct or breaches of law. But in other situations, an investigation may be heavy-handed, disruptive, or it’s simply less likely to achieve an effective outcome.
- Did this conduct occur?
- Was it a breach of our standards?
- What formal steps are needed to remediate it?
- Why is morale so low?
- Why is communication breaking down?
- How can these people work together more effectively?
- What problem are we really trying to solve?
- Do we need findings of fact, or do we need to repair relationships and rebuild culture?
- Will a formal process help, or will it deepen the divisions in the team?
Asking the right questions at the outset it critical!!! Workplace investigations remain vital in serious cases, but they are not a “solutions based” approach. Sometimes the more effective path is to choose a tool that goes beyond blame. A tool that focuses on repairing relationships, strengthening culture, and building resilience for the future.
