Being trauma-informed is no longer best practice in workplace investigations – it is fundamental practice. A trauma-informed approach seeks to minimise harm to participants and improve the reliability of information, requiring patience, preparation and thoughtful communication rather than clinical expertise.
Why trauma-informed investigations matter – from first contact to final outcome Read More »
Secretary, NSW Department of Education v SafeWork NSW (No 2). This NSW Industrial Relations Commission decision shows that safety regulators are enforcing duties on employers to keep employees safe from psychological harm during workplace investigations, with improvement notices issued to address psychosocial risks.
Understanding neurodiversity is part of a person-centred and procedurally fair approach to workplace investigations. Investigators can support neurodivergent participants through clear communications, flexible scheduling, sensory-friendly environments and extra processing time in interviews.
Accommodating neurodiverse participants in workplace investigations Read More »
Wilson v Services Australia [2025] FWC 3328. The Fair Work Commission found that continued engagement with an unwell employee about workplace concerns worsened his condition, and that accepting his resignation without proper consideration of his mental state constituted dismissal at the employer’s initiative.
‘I don’t recall’ responses are common in workplace investigation interviews, but they don’t need to be a roadblock if handled well.
Recall roadblocks: How to handle ‘I don’t recall’ responses in investigations Read More »
KEY TAKEAWAYS: Advice from an experienced legal and HR senior leader who recently transitioned to specialise in workplace investigations: pursue workplace investigations if you enjoy working with all kinds of people, love digging into the minutiae and have a particular penchant for procedural fairness lawyers and ER practitioners have transferrable skills, in areas such as
Why this employment generalist became a workplace investigation specialist Read More »
KEY TAKEAWAYS: workplace investigators are often exposed to confronting content and distressed people in the course of their work, putting them at risk of vicarious trauma and burn out we continue to see an increased demand for workplace investigations and skilled and resilient investigators while organisations are focused on resourcing and supporting the investigations function,
Supporting workplace investigator wellbeing Read More »
KEY TAKEAWAYS: a poorly handled workplace investigation can pose a psychosocial risk to participants and investigators psychological harm to participants can be mitigated by five key workplace investigation practices: 1. ensuring procedural fairness 2. taking a trauma-informed and person-centred approach 3. providing support to all participants 4. conducting investigations in a timely manner 5. closing
Safeguarding the psychological health of participants in a workplace investigation Read More »
KEY TAKEAWAYS: many business leaders are either unaware of the psychosocial risks associated with workplace investigations or unsure how to manage them, according to a global survey two key psychosocial risks present in a workplace investigation are: the content of the complaint; and the investigation process key workplace investigation controls identified in the Model Code
Psychosocial hazards and workplace investigations Read More »
KEY TAKEAWAYS: Cultural competency assess team and individual cultural maturity and capabilities, including awareness of conscious and unconscious bias consider engaging an Indigenous engagement advisor to educate and upskill staff, particularly on issues such as gender, shame, kinship, and power imbalances, and how to sensitively manage these issues during an investigation. Investigation planning ascertain if