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Five former employees allege Edmonton construction firm ignored sexual misconduct in ‘poisoned’ workplace | CBC News  This is the latest cautionary tale for Alberta employers. Workplace harassment and violence can be insidious, often impacting employees who are afraid to speak up for fear of job loss, embarrassment, or other retaliation. By the time the organization… Read more

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations are placing increasing emphasis on cultivating a just culture in the workplace. A just culture is an environment where employees feel safe to speak up, take responsibility for their actions, and where fairness and accountability prevail. It is a framework that seeks to balance the need for learning… Read more

Workplace investigations into incidents or complaints require a delicate and sensitive approach, especially when dealing with individuals who have experienced trauma. Trauma-informed interviewing techniques can significantly impact the outcomes of these investigations by fostering a safe and supportive environment for all parties involved. In this article, we will explore the importance of trauma-informed interviewing in… Read more

Before you dive into a healthcare investigation, it’s imperative that you take a step back and consider the following: Is a formal investigation necessary or are there other ways to triage the complaint? – Not every complaint requires a formal investigation. Some complaints are better characterized as concerns which can be addressed informally such as… Read more

What are high conflict work environments? High conflict work environments are those characterized by persistent, escalating, and often extreme harassment, bullying, and intimidation. This may be caused by one individual or group of employees who repeatedly undermine working relationships usually resulting in a toxic work environment with an ensuing impact on productivity and results. In… Read more

Writing reports is often the most time-consuming and laborious part of an investigation. If you struggle in writing reports join us to learn some ways to structure your reports, what to include in your reports and, importantly, how to write your report in a Freedom of Information environment. Who this course is for? This presentation… Read more

Gone are the days of looking at someone involved in an investigation and deciding they’re credible because of the way they dress, the way they shook your hand or how they answer questions. Credibility assessment is likely the single most difficult aspect of an investigation. In this presentation you will learn how Canadian courts ask… Read more

Interviews are one of the most important components of an investigation. This course will outline ‘what an interview is’ and explain how if differs from a ‘cross examination’ or ‘interrogation’. Instructors will discuss how courts have suggested interviews should take place but will also teach some practical tips and tricks that will better assist you… Read more

In this presentation instructors will discuss the basic principles of Fundamental Justice and how to apply them in an investigation to ensure your investigations are properly conducted. Topics include the Right to Know, The Right to Respond and the Right to Reasons. Who this course is for? Anyone who conducts workplace investigations This course will… Read more

Based around a complex and real-world scenario that is provided in advance; this course explains how to investigate from intake through to report completion. Participants will learn what an investigation is and, just importantly, what an investigation is not. Instructors will help you to become familiar with the theory and case law behind each stage… Read more

What is it? At its core, Just Culture is about transparency, respect, and trust around workplace safety, including issues around bullying, harassment, and discrimination or psychological and emotional safety. The principle has long been applied to workplaces in the aeronautical and military sectors but is relatively new to healthcare. A workplace that is based in… Read more

One email or social media post. That’s all it takes to bring years of hard work crashing to the ground for a business. Not even small businesses are immune from unacceptable actions of an employee, manager or owner that spill into a public space. The recent incident involving Valbella Meats in Canmore — which has… Read more

If you are a victim of harassment, bullying or abuse at the workplace, sitting down with a total stranger to recount the details of what happened is not easy. It’s even more difficult when that person has an agenda, a timetable to keep and is determined to work through their checklist and move on.  Investigators need… Read more

You may work in Human Resources or you’ve risen through the ranks to be a director or manager. And while you’ve gained important experience along the way, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have the skills to conduct a proper workplace investigation.  Training matters. Skill development is important. Anyone assigned to carry out an internal investigation… Read more

The latest cautionary tale for Alberta employers can be found in the decision of Yaschuk v. Emerson Electric Canada Limited, 2022 AHRC 62, out of the Human Rights Tribunal of Alberta. The case involved a female employee who was found to have been sexually harassed by her direct supervisor, the Human Resources Manager. The Director… Read more

A key element of a proper workplace investigation is giving everyone the opportunity to share their side of the story in detail, without being pushed or prompted to one direction or another.  As investigators, that means asking the right questions to draw out the information from the individual being interviewed. That complete perspective will help… Read more

Your workplace is a reflection of what is happening in society. From social issues to the political landscape, those emotions, perspectives and feelings don’t stay outside your office doors. Instead, they play out in your day-to-day operations within your team.  Pride is being celebrated across the country in June, both in communities and offices. And… Read more

We see municipal crews out around our cities each and every day. They are picking up garbage and recycling, repairing roads, maintaining sewers and landscaping our parks.  What we don’t see every day are the workplace issues many public sector employees are dealing with. Whether it’s an internal cultural issue or a taxpayer complaint that… Read more

A healthy workplace is built on trust.  Employees give their time and effort to support the productivity of an organization and, in return, they are given the space and confidence to offer concerns and know they will be dealt with appropriately. It’s a symbiotic relationship. Or it should be.  So what happens to that trust… Read more

What are you biased about? Everyone has at least one thing they are partial to, if not more. Before a workplace investigation can happen, an investigator needs to ask themselves what their bias is to question themselves appropriately if they can balance it. If not, it might be best if someone else was carrying out… Read more

It’s 5 pm on a Wednesday; time to head home after another long day at work.   Once again, the day seemed longer than it should have. There was anxiety around doing routine things. The phone would ring, and you would groan or let out a deep sigh. You received six emails from a co-worker about… Read more

Toxicity is a word that is commonly thrown around the workplace. In some cases, maybe a little too much. So how can management properly determine if there is actually a toxic atmosphere, and if so, what the cause is? It comes down to a proper investigation being done, which is harder to do than it… Read more

It’s not about intent; it’s about impact. We sometimes struggle to know precisely what harassment in the workplace looks like. Can you identify what counts as harassment and what doesn’t? For a long time, we have heard: “We should treat people the way we would want to be treated.” But what might bother someone may… Read more

How many times have you walked away from a “tough conversation” and wished you had worded things differently? Your choice of words in any given moment can be the difference between a constructive discussion and one that gets out of hand in a hurry. Word choice matters even more when discussing workplace investigations with employees,… Read more

Have you experienced bullying at work? If so, it’s important to know you’re not alone. In fact, 60 per cent of Canadians have reportedly experienced harassment at the office. Every worker in Canada is entitled to a harassment-free workplace. It is written in provincial legislation in every province and federally. It is outlined in the… Read more

Maintaining a healthy work environment where your employees are excited to come to work and can feel safe and appreciated is paramount. Which is why it is important that when workplace issues arise, they are not taken lightly. Whether it is a case of investigating reports of sexual harassment and misconduct, health and safety violations… Read more