Most HR professionals don’t have Sherlock Holmes’ deductive skills, so it’s hard to find out the truth about workplace allegations if your interviewing skills aren’t up to scratch.
When accusations start flying around the workplace, it’s important to take them seriously and address the problem efficiently, which often requires talking to all the parties. However, in cases of conflict either party could be motivated to twist the truth, or to try to whitewash their own involvement. How can HR gather the information they need?
In most cases the information gathered from interviewing will make up the majority of a case, so it’s important to get it right and be well prepared.
“Make sure you’re prepared for your interview, that you know the questions you need to ask and the information you need to obtain and that you’re documenting the information you’re getting accurately and completely,” Dean Benard, CEO of conflict resolution company Benard Inc., said. “It’s not good enough to say ‘Tell me your story’. You need to be prepared to look at their answers with a critical eye and be prepared to challenge the parties.”
Benard stresses not to be confrontational; it’s important to stay calm throughout the interview. Ask for clarification and tell them you’re getting conflicting information without specifying what that information is.
A key step is to determine whether you and your team are unbiased. If the investigation is being handled internally it’s likely the interviewer will know the HR pro, or at least have connections in common.
“As the investigator your job is to be completely neutral, unbiased and objective and if you can’t achieve that then you probably shouldn’t be doing the investigation,” Benard said. Consider carefully whether an internal investigation is the best option, and ensure you keep detailed and accurate information.
It might take more than one interview with each party to build a complete picture, so try to maintain a rapport without expressing support one way or the other.
Benard’s tips for interviewing:
