We address disputes between employees, teams, or departments by analysing underlying causes, interviewing all parties, reviewing workplace interactions, and providing recommendations to resolve tensions and restore productive relationships.
Services
Workplace Investigation Services
Our leading independent workplace investigation services help organisations dealing with allegations of inappropriate behaviour at work.
Rated
on Google
Trusted by Australian Organisations
Leading businesses across Australia rely on HumanX HR to deliver compliant, strategic HR solutions that drive growth.
Over 15 Years of HR Expertise
Over15 years of deep HR knowledge, ensuring your business benefits from proven strategies and best practices.
Cross Industry Experts
We've partnered with organisations across diverse sectors, from tech start ups to established enterprises, delivering tailored HR solutions that fit your needs.
Workplace Investigation Services
Discover how HumanX HR can support you with our confidential workplace investivations
Workplace conflict
Investigate Misconduct, Incidents & Complaints
We investigate employee misconduct, policy breaches, workplace incidents, and formal complaints. Our team examines evidence, interviews parties, assesses compliance with policies, and provides findings to support disciplinary or corrective actions.
Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination
We investigate allegations of inappropriate workplace behaviour including bullying, sexual harassment, and discrimination. Our consultants examine witness statements, review communications, assess policies, and provide advice on actions to take.
Complaints Reporting Systems
We design and implement complaints handling frameworks tailored to your organisation, including reporting procedures, investigation protocols, case management systems, and training for internal staff to ensure compliance with legislation and industry standards.
Workplace Culture Review
We assess your workplace culture through employee surveys, focus groups, policy reviews, and observational analysis to identify strengths and risks, examine leadership practices, and provide recommendations to enhance your environment.
Complex Formal Investigations
We handle serious allegations requiring extensive examination, multiple expert inputs, or cross-jurisdictional coordination. Our proven process involves large-scale evidence collection, coordinating with legal counsel and specialist consultants to deliver thorough, defensible outcomes.
When to initiate a
Workplace Investigation
Workplace investigations should be initiated when serious allegations arise that could impact employee safety, workplace culture or business operations including:
Harassment, discrimination or bullying
Allegations of inappropriate workplace behaviour such as bullying, sexual harassment, unwanted conduct, or discrimination based on protected attributes like age, gender, race, or disability. Investigations are necessary to establish facts and protect employee wellbeing.
Harassment, discrimination or bullying
Allegations of inappropriate workplace behaviour such as bullying, sexual harassment, unwanted conduct, or discrimination based on protected attributes like age, gender, race, or disability. Investigations are necessary to establish facts and protect employee wellbeing.
Policy breaches & misconduct
Violations of company policies, professional standards, or codes of conduct, including fraud, theft, conflicts of interest, misuse of company resources, or breaches of confidentiality. Investigations determine the extent of misconduct and appropriate responses.
Policy breaches & misconduct
Violations of company policies, professional standards, or codes of conduct, including fraud, theft, conflicts of interest, misuse of company resources, or breaches of confidentiality. Investigations determine the extent of misconduct and appropriate responses.
Workplace safety, incidents & protocol violations
Workplace accidents, near-misses, WHS breaches, safety protocol violations, or incidents causing injury or property damage. Investigations identify root causes, assess compliance with safety regulations, and establish preventative measures.
Workplace safety, incidents & protocol violations
Workplace accidents, near-misses, WHS breaches, safety protocol violations, or incidents causing injury or property damage. Investigations identify root causes, assess compliance with safety regulations, and establish preventative measures.
Our Solutions in Action
At HumanX, we recognise the significance of maintaining ethical and transparent workplace practices. Our expertise in workplace investigations empowers organisations to investigate allegations of wrongdoing swiftly and effectively. In this case study, we delve into a scenario involving fraudulent reporting of inaccurate hours and showcase how our meticulous investigation process ensures compliance, accountability, and the protection of your business's financial integrity. Most importantly, we conduct unbiased and procedurally fair workplace investigations that provide you the ability to make defensible decisions based on the outcomes of our findings.
Why use an independent Workplace Investigator
Disputes happen in every workplace, you might require a workplace investigation if:
When Senior Leadership is Involved
When allegations involve senior management or executives, an independent external investigation ensures impartiality, protects investigation integrity, and demonstrates organisational commitment to fair process regardless of seniority.
When Senior Leadership is Involved
When allegations involve senior management or executives, an independent external investigation ensures impartiality, protects investigation integrity, and demonstrates organisational commitment to fair process regardless of seniority.
When Internal Resources Are Insufficient
Engage external investigators when your internal teams lack the objectivity, specialised skills, or capacity to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation, or when potential conflicts of interest could compromise integrity.
When Internal Resources Are Insufficient
Engage external investigators when your internal teams lack the objectivity, specialised skills, or capacity to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation, or when potential conflicts of interest could compromise integrity.
When Reputational or Legal Risk is High
External investigations are essential for cases that could attract public attention, media coverage, regulatory scrutiny, or third-party requests, protecting your organisation's reputation and ensuring defensible, independent outcomes.
When Reputational or Legal Risk is High
External investigations are essential for cases that could attract public attention, media coverage, regulatory scrutiny, or third-party requests, protecting your organisation's reputation and ensuring defensible, independent outcomes.
Meet our investigators
Hich Nasr
Partner
Hazel Millar
Employee Relations Business Partner
Britt Shanahan
Employee Relations Specialist
Francesca Toffolo
Employee Relations Specialist
Hich Nasr
Partner
Hich is a Partner at HumanX and a member of The HumanX Executive Leadership Team. Hich is responsible for the Employee Relations function, working with organisations to enhance their workplace integrity and ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations.
He brings deep expertise and insights to helping companies identify and resolve compliance risks, reduce complexity and build fit for purpose, compliant and sustainable work place practices.
Hazel Millar
Employee Relations Business Partner
Hazel is an Employee Relations Business Partner at HumanX. With extensive experience in guiding businesses and leaders through a wide range of employment matters, from individual matters through to complex organisational transformations. With experience spanning various sectors, including media, passenger transport, freight and government, Hazel brings a diverse perspective to every challenge. Her passion lies in devising practical employment solutions tailored to each business’s unique needs, enabling them to achieve their objectives.
Notably, Hazel was honoured with the 2021 AHRI Best Workforce Relations Strategy award for her exemplary management of a large government organisation’s employee relations response to COVID-19. Hazel was able to showcase her exceptional skills and dedication in navigating complex individual and whole of workforce issues in unprecedented circumstances
Britt Shanahan
Employee Relations Specialist
Britt is an Employee Relations Specialist at HumanX. Britt is a member of the Employee Relations Team with extensive experience in HR and Employee Relations across various industries, both locally and globally; including manufacturing, construction, professional services, retail, health care and social assistance.
With an in-depth understanding of Australian and Indonesian employment legislation and compliance, Britt is well-versed in leading, advising and supporting organisations. From general, individual matters through to restructures, M&As and complex IR landscapes. Britt brings a collaborative and practical approach to her work and is passionate about delivering commercial yet human centric outcomes for her clients.
Workplace Investigation Process
Workplace investigations conducted by HumanX HR are confidential, impartial and thorough.
We offer detailed reviews and written reports highlighting underlying gaps, cultural issues and leadership approaches.
We offer detailed reviews and written reports highlighting underlying gaps, cultural issues and leadership approaches.
Planning & Preparation
We review your policies, identify witnesses and evidence sources, then create investigation timelines. Our team prepares targeted interview strategies to capture all critical information efficiently.
Assessment and Scope Definition
Planning & Preparation
We review your policies, identify witnesses and evidence sources, then create investigation timelines. Our team prepares targeted interview strategies to capture all critical information efficiently.
Planning and Preparation
Planning & Preparation
We review your policies, identify witnesses and evidence sources, then create investigation timelines. Our team prepares targeted interview strategies to capture all critical information efficiently.
Evidence Gathering
Planning & Preparation
We review your policies, identify witnesses and evidence sources, then create investigation timelines. Our team prepares targeted interview strategies to capture all critical information efficiently.
Analysis and Documentation
Planning & Preparation
We review your policies, identify witnesses and evidence sources, then create investigation timelines. Our team prepares targeted interview strategies to capture all critical information efficiently.
Decision and Reporting
Planning & Preparation
We review your policies, identify witnesses and evidence sources, then create investigation timelines. Our team prepares targeted interview strategies to capture all critical information efficiently.
Follow up
Working with HumanX Workplace Investigators
Our approach to conducting independent workplace investigations has been refined over the years to ensure that we are always providing our clients with reliable and consistent services.
We know that a situation that requires a workplace investigation typically crops up quickly. It can feel extremely demanding and overwhelming.
Acting in a timely fashion is crucial in the workplace investigation process and you may not have adequate resources and capability to do so. Balancing a functioning business while digging deep into uncomfortable matters can be a tricky game to play – and that’s why an external workplace investigations service provider can be the helping hand you need. The workplace investigation process is based on HumanX’s tried and tested workplace investigation framework.
When you partner with us, we will assign a highly experienced investigator who will investigate the matters thoroughly, impartially and will maintain confidentiality at all times. Most importantly, our investigators are impartial and will handle the workplace investigation with the required level of sensitivity.
Common Workplace Investigations
HumanX HR conducts a variety of workplace investigations, tailoring our solutions for you.
Our Clients say it best
"I was impressed with HumanX's outsourced HR services. Their team was knowledgeable and tailored their approach to our needs, significantly improving our HR processes. Highly recommend for any business seeking expert HR support."
Warick Ryan
Partner
Hicksons | Hunt & Hunt
Discover our Guides
Check out some of our resources
.jpg)
.jpg)
Let's talk!
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Have a question about Workplace Investigations?
When should you consult a workplace investigator?
Workplace investigations are undertaken when allegations of wrongdoing are made or behaviour occurs that breaches workplace policies, codes of conduct or expected behaviour, such as bullying, discrimination, sexual harassment and safety violations. Additionally, where an employee is believed to have acted contrary to their employment contract.
In most of these instances, it is recommended that companies speak to a professional workplace investigator as soon as possible.
Engaging an external workplace investigator like HumanX mitigates the likelihood that the Fair Work Commission will find fault with the investigation undertaken.
For more information about your specific circumstances, please get in touch with our team.
What happens after a workplace investigation?
After a workplace investigation has concluded, the ‘problem’ might not always have been resolved. Appropriate action may have been taken, but there may be a change in atmosphere, engagement and culture in the workplace. People can often ‘take sides’ in these situations or feel let down because they did not get the result they were hoping for.
HumanX is an outsourced HR agency. Post investigation, HumanX HR practitioners can proactively help your organisation plan and manage the ripple-effect of any outcome of the investigation.
Our HR consultants can help you address the root cause of the issues and design a HR strategy to reconnect your people, with your company, values and one another.
How can we ensure a fair investigation?
A workplace investigation is a fact-finding discipline and therefore it must not be conducted with preconceived outcomes.
Working with an experienced outsourced workplace investigator is the best option for ensuring procedural fairness throughout the process.
The outcomes of poorly handled internal investigations can be challenged - often due to lack of experience by the investigator, but also due to perceived bias, a poor HR investigation process, findings of fact not consistent with evidence produced and unjust decisions.
Independent workplace investigators are the best option for a successful workplace investigation.
Will HumanX workplace investigators work independently from our business?
When you engage HumanX to undertake the workplace investigation, we will conduct the investigation in an independent, impartial and unbiased manner. The advantage of outsourcing the workplace investigation is that any actual or perceived risk of bias will be discharged.
Once you have briefed us on the matter(s) to be investigated, we take the burden of conducting the investigation from you and your team. We carry out the workplace investigation in a timely fashion and provide you with a clear and detailed report at the end of the process.
What are the ramifications of not conducting a workplace investigation?
When allegations of wrongdoing or misconduct are raised in the workplace, a workplace investigation should be undertaken. There are several potential implications to the employer if a workplace investigation is not conducted in these instances, including:
- the risk of a dismissal being challenged by an employee, which if successful may result in reinstatement and payment of compensation
- possible litigation which may have wide ranging ramifications
- reputational damage to the organisation and the management team. Including the perception of not being an employer of choice
- drop in workplace morale as employees may feel their company is not safe and the organisation they work for is not willing to protect them or believe them.
How much does a workplace investigation cost?
It depends.
There are many factors that influence the cost of the workplace investigation. For instance, the type and nature of the allegations, number of parties involved and quantum of evidence to be collected and analysed.
Just like any service in the market, you get what you pay for. An outsourced agency with highly experienced practitioners and robust processes and techniques will charge more than a contractor fumbling their way through a process that could leave you with wide ranging ramifications.
This is not a risk worth taking and cost should not be the most important factor when selecting a provider to conduct your workplace investigation.
The potential cost of a poorly handled investigation far outweighs the cost of an investigation conducted properly and thoroughly.
We are constantly engaged to conduct investigations that were performed unsuccessfully in the first place by inexperienced providers.
Do you record interviews during a workplace investigation?
Yes, we always record the interviews once we have obtained consent to do so.
We engage a third party to transcribe the interviews and we will provide you a copy of the transcriptions along with our report.
