Writing an investigative report is one of the most tedious tasks an investigator undertakes. But, because it’s an important showcase of the investigation, you can’t skimp on this critical investigation step. Your investigative report reflects on you and your investigation, so make sure it’s as clear, comprehensive, accurate and polished as possible.
An investigative report has many purposes.
- It’s a document that sparks some sort of action based on the official findings it presents. This could be a termination of employment, corrective action, implementation of training, counselling, or some other action taken based on the findings.
- The investigation report is also a record of the steps of the investigation. It can be used to prove that your investigation was timely, complete and fair.
- The information contained in the investigation report may be cited in any legal action, so it’s important that the report is detailed and accurate, but does not include unnecessary detail that can get the company into trouble.
- The process of writing the investigation report can sometimes clarify your thinking and can even uncover additional questions that provide new insight into a case.
- The investigation report provides valuable data that can be used to implement control and prevention measures in your company. We’ve compiled a step-by-step framework for writing an investigative report that will meet the needs of your supervisors, colleagues and anyone else who may require it.
Investigative Report “Musts” Before you begin, it’s important to understand the three critical tasks of a workplace investigative report.
- It must be organized in a way that anybody internally or externally can understand it without having to reference other materials.
- It must document the investigative findings objectively and accurately and provide decision makers with enough information to determine whether they should take further action.
- It must indicate whether the allegations were substantiated, unsubstantiated or whether there’s something missing that is needed to come to a conclusion.
- Don’t gamble with your company’s investigation processes.
- i-Sight software is a better way to manage investigations. i-Sight is a specialized investigative case management tool to make your investigations more efficient and consistent. Request your demo of i-Sight to find out how users are saving time, closing more cases, reducing risk, and improving compliance.
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