A Trauma-Informed Approach to Workplace Investigations in Large Companies
Workplace investigations are at times a necessity for maintaining safe, fair and compliant working environments. For large companies in particular, if care is not taken these investigations can reach a size and complexity that potentially impact workers’ wellbeing.
For this reason, adopting a trauma-informed approach ensures that workplace investigations are conducted fairly and with sensitivity whilst remaining effective. This greatly reduces the likelihood of re-traumatisation for those involved.
What is a trauma-informed approach?
The basis of a trauma-informed approach is the recognition that employees who speak out with a complaint may already be experiencing stress and anxiety. This is particularly the case where the workplace complaints relate to harassment, discrimination or violence.
Trauma-informed investigations begin by acknowledging this. They use procedures that are mindful of the potential psychological and emotional impacts of the investigation and strive to be more compassionate towards those involved.
Additionally, investigators must be trained to recognise signs of trauma in the individuals they speak with. By doing so, investigators are able to adapt their process to minimise stress to those they interview whilst still acquiring the maximum relevant information they can.
What are the key principles of a trauma-informed approach?
There are a number of key principles that guide a trauma-informed approach to workplace investigations.
- Safety. Maintaining the safety, privacy and overall wellbeing of any individuals affected by unlawful behaviour is of utmost importance.
- Trustworthiness. Trust in the process is essential to its success. When people trust that they will be treated fairly and their wishes respected they are more likely to be open about their experiences.
- Empowerment. By giving people a choice in how and when they are able to provide information, the chances increase that they will do so.
- Cultural Awareness. This is a recognition of the diverse elements that make up a person’s identity. It takes these into consideration of how an individual may uniquely respond to and recover from any traumatic events.
It is also important to understand that all these key elements interrelate with each other. By listening openly to an individual’s story and giving them a choice in how this is done, safety and trustworthiness are already enhanced.
Why use a trauma-informed approach in workplace investigations?
For workplace investigations, the benefits of using a trauma-informed approach are many-fold.
- Incident reporting is encouraged
When employees feel respected and supported, they are more likely to come forward with any complaints or concerns they may have. Workers who trust the process are more assured that their experiences will be respected and handled with sensitivity.
- Reducing re-traumatisation.
Investigations conducted without a trauma-informed approach can often cause further harm to already traumatised individuals. This can easily have a flow-on effect to the wider company as a whole. By focusing on the safety and wellbeing of those involved, the risk of further harm is greatly reduced.
- Maintaining the credibility of the investigative process
When employees are able to trust that workplace investigations are fair and considerate they are more likely to be engaged in the process. Overall, this helps to foster a positive culture of integrity and accountability in the workplace.
- Achieving positive investigation outcomes
When employees feel safe and secure and can trust the process, they are more likely to provide accurate, detailed and truthful accounts of any relevant events. As a result, investigations are much more thorough and reliable leading to more positive outcomes.
Workplace Advantage
We are highly experienced with workplace investigations using a trauma-informed approach.
Whether your company needs help with an investigation, workplace mediations or advice and training for employee relations, please contact us for a discussion.