'Informal is best' | How to conduct a remote workplace investigation

With many staff still remote it can be difficult to track performance and how individuals are interacting with each other. This can lead to disputes.

These disputes – often driven by pandemic frustrations, anxiety and burnout – can lead stressed employees to come to virtual blows where ‘balls can be dropped’, which can be difficult for managers, or even HR, to resolve in an environment in which they’re not directly present in.

As Vicki Field, HR Director at London Doctor’s Clinic and experienced HR leader, explained: “The pandemic has changed how we work, and this has had an impact on all aspects of the employment relationship.”

As Field has experience at conducting investigations into disciplinary and grievance issues and has delivered training in this area at HR conferences, HR Grapevine thought she would be ideally placed to explain how one might go about resolving these conflicts in a remote environment.