Are your organisation's workplace and corporate investigations truly fair, robust and defensible under scrutiny? Poor investigations expose organisations to significant risk: employment tribunal criticism, reputational damage, regulatory action and costly disputes. This practical handbook provides a clear, structured and real-world guide to conducting workplace and corporate investigations to a professional standard.
Written by an experienced barrister, mediator and investigator, this book combines legal principles, practical techniques and real case examples to show how investigations should be conducted, and where they go wrong.
The book will help you learn how to:
- Define clear and legally sound allegations
- Plan and scope investigations effectively
- Identify, gather and assess evidence properly
- Conduct fair and effective witness interviews
- Assess credibility and reliability with confidence
- Avoid unconscious bias and common investigative failures
- Produce clear, well-reasoned investigation reports
- Withstand scrutiny in tribunals and regulatory settings
The book also explores:
- When mediation may be a better alternative
- Investigations involving senior executives and sensitive issues
- Handling complex evidence, including digital and third-party sources
- Using AI appropriately in investigations
- Turning investigation findings into meaningful organisational learning
Throughout the book, detailed real-world case studies illustrate both good and flawed investigations, providing practical insight into how decisions are made and challenged in practice.
- Practical, step-by-step investigation framework Covers planning, evidence gathering, interviews, and reporting.
- Real case studies throughout Learn from actual investigations - including where things went wrong.
- Legally grounded but written in plain English Explains ACAS Code, reasonable investigation, and fairness clearly.
- Designed for real-world use Use during live investigations as a working reference.
- Covers modern investigation challenges Including AI, digital evidence, and complex workplace dynamics.
Who this book is for? This handbook is essential reading for:
- HR professionals and HR director
- Workplace and corporate investigators
- Employment lawyers and barristers
- Regulators and disciplinary panel members
- Senior leaders responsible for governance and compliance
A practical handbook for real investigations - not theory. If you are responsible for investigating serious workplace issues, this book will help you conduct investigations that are fair, structured, and defensible when it matters most.
"A clear and practical guide for how to conduct workplace investigations and to avoid the pitfalls from a highly experienced investigator” Jeffrey Jupp KC, Barrister, 7 Beford Row Chambers
“If you want to reduce the risk of your investigation being challenged at Tribunal or elsewhere, this handbook is essential reading. Applied properly, the techniques it contains will save time, cost and organisational stress, and help ensure your findings stand up to scrutiny” Leslie Cuthbert, former investigator and trainer in investigative practice, ‘Practitioner of the Year’, 2019 awarded by iIIRG and author of ‘Effective Interviewing for Disciplinary, Grievance and Complaints Investigations’
“The task of getting to the bottom of what went wrong in the workplace or establishing whether anything did, can be a daunting one even for seasoned analytically minded professionals and its challenges are infinitely varied. I don’t know any other book that delivers what Robin does here. He puts his considerable experience in this space at the disposal of the reader, providing a comprehensive, reassuring and above all usable professional tool for investigators, both in-house and external. This needs to be on the desk of every HR business manager.” Mike Cain, Partner Keystone Law, Recognised by Chambers and The Legal 500 for employment
About the Author: Robin Somerville is a direct access barrister (in England and Wales), CEDR accredited mediator and CEDR panel member, workplace investigator and arbitrator, and specialises in shareholder, company, board, partnership and business disputes. Prior to qualifying as a lawyer and mediator, Robin set up, grew and sucessfully sold three modest start-up businesses. He was also involved in his family's third-generation business, and was an equity holding director of one of the UK’s leading online price comparison websites for over 13 years. Robin also sits as a judge and arbitrator and was previously an Ombudsman at the Financial Ombudsman Service.
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