Grievance investigation report

Our report enables the investigation manager to summarise the grievance investigation they carried out, together with an explanation of their findings.

Investigation summary

A fair grievance procedure doesn’t absolutely require that a written investigation report is produced but many investigations will benefit if the findings are recorded in writing, so the investigation manager should fill in our Grievance Investigation Report form once they’ve completed their investigation. It doesn’t replace the documentary evidence and witness statements that have been gathered; what it does is summarise the course of the grievance investigation from start to finish.

Report findings

Our report includes:

• the names of the investigation manager, the employee who raised the grievance and the manager who authorised the investigation
• the dates that the investigation started and finished
• what the background and terms of reference were
• what evidence and witness statements have been collected, and what evidence and witness statements couldn’t be collected (and why)
• what the evidence contains and how it does or doesn’t support the investigation’s findings
• what facts have been established by the investigation and whether any part of it was inconclusive - even if facts are contested, the investigation manager should still reach a conclusion, on the balance of probabilities, about what took place
• any recommendations.

It’s important that the report covers all the facts that both were and were not established. To exclude any information may leave an investigation open to accusations of bias and filtering evidence. Copies of the evidence and witness statements can be attached as appendices to the report and any delays in the investigation should also be explained in it.

Recommendations

The investigation manager can recommend whether any further action may be necessary or beneficial, e.g. changes to a policy or procedure, staff counselling or staff training, but they shouldn’t recommend a grievance meeting outcome as that’s a matter for the chair of the grievance meeting once the meeting has taken place (although, in a grievance matter, the investigation manager and the meeting chair could end up being the same person). Finally, the report should reflect the investigation manager’s own conclusions and recommendations. While they may seek advice from a third party, e.g. HR, on the law and fair procedure, the conclusions in the report should be their own.