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300-AQX-01-IGDO © 2019, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS)
1 877 494 WSPS (9777) | 905 614 1400 | wsps.ca
Tips for the Investigation Process
First Steps
Take the incident or complaint seriously.
Do not assume either guilt or innocence on anyone's part.
The purpose of the investigation is to gather objective information to determine whether or not
harassment occurred. In other words, it's about fact-finding, not fault-finding. Don't jump to a
decision about what to do before you've completed the investigation.
Allow sufficient time for the person conducting an investigation to complete the process and prepare
a report.
Determine what sources of information you will need – for example, you may need information like
emails or video footage. You will almost certainly need to interview people.
Start your investigation as soon as possible. Memories can fade quickly and evidence lost.
Talking to Others
Be discreet. Don't discuss the fact that you're doing an investigation unless it's with the people who
need to be involved, and even then only share the minimum information necessary to conduct the
investigation.
When interviewing people, refrain from expressing your own opinions about the incident or
complaint. Plan your questions in advance.
Ask open-ended questions whenever possible. Open-ended questions start with Who, What, How,
When, and Where. A closed-ended question leads the respondent to answer with "yes" or "no", and
so can inadvertently reinforce hidden biases.
Take your own notes and summarize what you hear in each interview.
Ask each person to review a written summary of the information he/she provided to confirm that it
accurately reflects what he/she said.
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