In light of the COVID-19 Pandemic, conducting workplace investigation interviews remotely by video or telephone will replace face-to-face interviews. This article highlights some tips and pitfalls to be avoided when conducting interviews remotely.
While face-to-face interviews have always been preferable, remote interviews have been a regular occurrence for QWS workplace investigators for years. A method previously reserved for witnesses who were unavailable due to being overseas or in a particularly remote location, will now be the norm for all interview participants in this unprecedented time. Based on our experience, here are some tips on conducting investigation interviews remotely.
Pre-interview
- Ensure you are familiar and proficient with the conferencing platform you are going to use for the interview. (Test it out on a colleague beforehand!) There are lots of platforms available, for example Skype, Zoom, and Blue Jeans. A lack of confidence or the appearance that an interviewer is not comfortable with video conferencing is likely to unsettle an already nervous interviewee.
- Check that the interviewee has the requisite technical equipment for a video interview, such as laptop, tablet or smartphone and sufficient internet connection.
- Where possible, ask your client or the interviewee to arrange the interviews using their preferred conferencing platform as this should minimise technical difficulties that may arise as a result of IT security and firewalls or email interview invites being misdirected to an interviewee’s junk mail folder.
- Find out if the interviewee is familiar with video conferencing and whether they have used the software before. If not, give them some time at the beginning of the interview to familiarise themselves with the platform before starting the interview to ensure that they are comfortable.
- Ensure you have a contact number for the interviewee and they have one for you in order to maintain a line of communication if, for whatever reason, there are difficulties with the video-conferencing platform.
- Consider allowing additional time before the interview is to commence to test the platform. This will allow time to resolve any technical issues.
- When arranging the interview, set expectations about confidentiality and ask that the interviewee be somewhere private, quiet and as free from interruptions as possible.
- As with face-to face interviews, it is usual for interviewees to be invited to have a support person present during remote interviews. Where the support person is remote from the interviewee, the above communications and arrangements will also be required for a support person.
- Ensure the room from which you are conducting the interview is private, that the door can be closed and that the background that will be seen by the interviewee is appropriate, professional and not distracting. Again, this all goes to helping the interviewee have confidence in the process.
- Request that any documents the interviewee may want you to look at are sent to you by email in advance of the interview.
During interview
- Introduce yourself as you would in any other interview and try to make the interviewee as relaxed as possible. Remember that despite being on video or the phone, the fundamentals of interviewing remain the same, and building rapport with interviewees is critical.
- Let the interviewee know that you are conducting the interview in private and that no one else is present (or introduce anyone else present). Ask the interviewee to confirm that they are alone (but for any pre-agreed support person) and somewhere private where they are unlikely to be interrupted.
- Make sure the interviewee is aware (and, as required in some States, consents) if you are recording the interview. Use this as an opportunity to ask them to confirm that, unless agreed in advance, they are not recording the interview.
- Remind the interviewee that they can take a break when they need to. The fact the interview is being conducted remotely should not take away from usual good interviewing practices. Where an interviewee requests a break to confer with a support person, this can be accommodated by pausing or temporarily disconnecting the interview. On some platforms, there is also an ability to create a private break out conference for the interviewee and their support person (for example on Zoom).
- If possible when interviewing by video, it is handy to use two screens: one for the video interview and the other for taking notes during the interview (for investigators who like to type their notes). If not possible, then consider using a phone or tablet screen for the interview, enabling you to take notes on your computer at the same time.
- As in a face-to-face interview, try to avoid drawing conclusions or inferences from facial expressions and body language. This is especially important as you are unlikely to be in a position to see someone’s whole body and where facial expressions and mannerisms may be overemphasised as a result of being on a computer screen.
- Be aware of your own facial expressions for the same reasons and remember where your camera is located on your computer and to address the camera as far as possible so that it appears to the interviewee that you are addressing them directly. If you are looking away from the camera, for example to refer to documents, explain this to the interviewee.
- If you want to show the interviewee sensitive documents, it may be best to use a video conferencing platform that allows for the onscreen sharing of documentation (in which case, make sure you know how to use it first!).
- If you want to show an interviewee documents that are not sensitive (for example, an organisation chart), consider emailing them to the interviewee shortly before your interview and seek confirmation that the email has been received. If necessary, ask the interviewee to confirm by email that they have deleted the material following the interview.
- If you are going to share your screen during the interview, double-check that you only have open programs/images you are happy for the interviewee to see so as to avoid any embarrassment or confidentiality breach when you get to the point of sharing your screen. In other words, close down all applications and web pages that are not required during the interview (including notifications of new emails or messages).
Post interview
- Be sure to end the call and close down the video conferencing program before making other calls to avoid the risk of anyone inadvertently overhearing a potentially sensitive conversation.
- For investigators who usually ask interviewees to confirm the accuracy of notes taken during interview, consider electronic ways of achieving this, for example by email or through services such as DocuSign.
For more information on conducting workplace investigation interviews remotely, please contact our national team of investigation experts at Q Workplace Solutions on 1300 944 049.
