Investigating and subsequently disciplining misconduct by an employee.
One of the most time-consuming and expensive actions undertaken by a human resource professional involves investigating and subsequently disciplining misconduct by an employee. The repercussions for making a mistake are certainly detrimental to an employee and can be catastrophic to an organization. In that light, discuss the following:
Present the two most important steps/actions in an investigation of an employee. In other words, to what two aspects of the investigatory process should a human resource professional pay most attention, in your estimation?Finally, assess the two most important factors a human resource professional should consider when determining the proper and fair level of discipline that should be taken against an employee who was found “guilty” following an investigation.
Sample Solution
Investigating and subsequently disciplining misconduct by an employee
A complaint just came in through your company`s reporting system and, being the cautious and thorough HR professional that you are, you have decided it warrants investigation. What now? Human resource investigations can be a very sensitive matter, so as a HR professional you will want to be sure you are following all relevant laws and protecting your company and employees. Having an HR investigation protocol will help make sure you are conducting HR investigations fairly. An HR protocol also prevents you from acting based on emotions rather than evidence. Important aspects of investigatory process an HR professional should pay most attention include: take any necessary immediate action – HR professionals are cautioned against immediate terminating or disciplining an employee without first gathering an appropriate amount of evidence. But there are instances where you will need to take action as soon as you receive a complaint.
