Take all complaints seriously
Whether you receive a formal or informal complaint of employee misconduct, take all complaints seriously, regardless of who is involved. Encourage employees to report issues before they become severe or pervasive and without fear of retaliation. Provide employees with multiple avenues to raise complaints, including to their own supervisor, to other supervisors and with HR.
Launch a prompt investigation
Start an investigation as soon as possible. Remain impartial and be thorough. Depending on the circumstances, consider whether you need to hire an outside third party to conduct an impartial investigation. When possible, more than one individual should be involved, including having a witness present during interviews. Investigators should be trained on the process and instructed to remain objective.
