Every investigator wants to achieve an unbiased investigation where only facts matter, not personal or emotional opinions. However, investigators are humans and biases are hard to control, especially if they are unintentional. Even though achieving an unbiased investigation is difficult, it is not impossible. 

Choose an external investigator

An external investigator guarantees a more unbiased investigation compared to an internal investigator. They are not trying to achieve a certain outcome and they are there to support everyone regardless of their standing within the company or their role in the case. An internal investigator may be faced with claims about biased treatment and unfair results that benefit the company. 

Allow everyone to be heard

Investigators should be taking the time to listen to each party and encourage everyone to tell their side of the story. This applies to the interview stage, any follow-up conversations as well as any communications the investigators have with the individuals. 

Make decisions based on evidence

An unbiased investigation needs patience and an open mind. When initiating the process, it is critical to wait for the relevant evidence before making the next decision rather than jumping to the next stage. Key evidence could point out the need for further documentation or perhaps highlight where the next place should be for getting more information.

Apply procedural fairness

Procedural fairness requires everyone to be treated fairly and with respect. All decisions made throughout the investigation should have the interests of all parties involved in mind. One way to ensure procedural fairness is to have a standardised, repeatable investigation process embedded in a case management tool like Polonious.

unbiased investigation

Choose the right location to interview every individual

An unbiased investigation requires everyone to feel safe and comfortable. This is why investigators need to ensure that they are giving people equal treatment. Ideally, all interviews should take place in a location where interviewees feel comfortable. This may require investigators to make different arrangements for people with a disability. 

Identify any biases

As an investigator, it is recommended to do a self-assessment and question certain decisions to ensure that they are made on facts rather than assumptions. Working as a team can provide a wider range of perspectives but groupthink can also increase the amount of bias in the case so investigators also need to watch out for that. 

Don’t rush the process

Even if the company didn’t initially respond fast enough, the key to an unbiased investigation is to not make rushed decisions. Take the appropriate time to analyse evidence, determine authenticity and credibility and spot discrepancies. A rushed investigation may lead to an inaccurate outcome. 

Don’t let the first interview affect the second one

If the incident is severe, conversations from the first interview can produce an emotional response. If that’s the case, it may be necessary to split up the interview process and allocate a different person for each individual. This will reduce any leading questions or unwanted aggression and assumptions. 

Stop yourself

It may be worth taking numerous steps back during an investigation and checking if all correct actions have been taken. Has something been skipped when it should not have? Has the team been using emotive language rather than factual wording? Circling back and considering whether any bias or stereotypes have been brought up can help put the team back on the right path. 

Ignore behaviour and body language

Another way to achieve an unbiased investigation is to not focus on the behaviour of individuals during the investigation. When people are under a lot of pressure and high amounts of stress, they are unlikely to act how they usually do. They might be more aggressive, rude or harder to communicate with which can paint them in a bad light. This is easier said than done because as humans we tend to form opinions based on someone’s body language and attitude. 

Be transparent

It is good practice to communicate with everyone equally and share the same amount of information with everyone. Why was a decision made? What will the next stage be? Is there anything employees can do to help with the process? Keep communication clear and direct. 

Check out courses on avoiding biases

Biases can take a really long time to get rid of and sole willpower is not always the answer. It can be beneficial for investigation teams to reach out and check whether there are seminars, conferences, and/or courses that offer advice on how to successfully achieve an unbiased investigation. You reading this article is already a step in the right direction. 

Ask for peer feedback

What do your colleagues think of your approach? Even though individuals can think they have been impartial and are working towards an unbiased investigation, this may not always be the case. Peers can provide their opinions and share their thoughts on the process and offer suggestions for improvement.

Ask employees

What do employees think of the approach that was taken? Getting in touch with the employees involved in the case can create better rapport and also allow the investigator to identify any potential biases they weren’t aware of. 

Adopt a consistent structure

When starting the investigation process, it would be good to consider a consistent structure that can be applied to multiple cases. This will decrease the chances of potential favouritism, errors or missed steps. 

Practice empathy

Empathy is something that every investigator needs but it can be very hard to maintain. Putting yourself in the shoes of another person can give you a better idea of what problems and worries they might have. This can help investigators understand employees more and where they are coming from. It can help put into perspective an aggressive response or an unnecessary comment. 

Analyse evidence carefully

The key to an unbiased investigation? Careful analysis of all evidence. Biases are not only negative but positive as well which can lead to inaccurate assumptions. Investigators may assume that certain evidence is authentic as they like the person they are interviewing and believe they are not capable of lying or compromising files. However, that is not always the case. Investigators have to do their due diligence and determine the authenticity of all evidence submitted to ensure a better and more truthful process is carried out. 

Road to an unbiased investigation

An unbiased investigation will always be needed. It is up to the investigators to recognise potential weaknesses and look for ways to improve them. Prioritising a high-quality investigation has many elements and those are not limited to finalising the process with minimum losses. Everyone should feel heard, respected and fairly treated regardless of their differences.