How do I Conduct an Internal Investigation?
If you weren’t present and can’t speak from personal observation, you will need to speak to those who were present. This is particularly true if the defendant denies the offense. Meet with witnesses as soon after the incident as possible. The questions asked should be open-ended and phrased to show no bias to influence answers.
Keep notes of witnesses’ comments. These will be part of any documentation you compile when you next meet with the employee. During this investigative stage, you may want to put the employee on suspension to minimize the tension as you look into the situation.
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If you will be interviewing several individuals who were present or are familiar with the situation, ask each the same questions. Compare notes. If you are dealing with members of your own department, you should be familiar enough with their relationship with the employee to identify any lies told you to protect or hurt the employee.
Once you are familiar with the incident as told by your staff and others, visit with other managers to discuss the incident to determine how they might have handled similar situations. Go to the Human Resources Department as well. Depending on the nature of the incident, you may even want a representative from the Human Resources Department with you as you investigate the situation.
Once you have insights into the who, what, where, when, and how, you are better able to meet with the employee and discuss the situation further.