PeopleSkillsBehavior analysis for safer and better workplaces
PeopleSkillsPeopleSkills is an external investigator when an employer receives a report that must be handled impartially: whistleblowing, abusive discrimination, harassment or conflicts that have become stale. We respond the same day, can usually start within 48 hours, can work at a fixed price and provide a report that is written to be presented if the matter goes forward to union or legal action.
The investigator is a lawyer and behavioral analysis trainer with extensive experience in interviews and workplaces where friction occurs. This provides an investigation that is objective in form and understandable in substance, for those who will make decisions afterwards.
Whistleblowing is the reporting of wrongdoing in a work-related context. The protection under the Whistleblower Act applies to anyone who has received the information in a work-related context, such as employees, contractors, consultants, interns and volunteers, and who reports in good faith. Anyone outside that circle is not a whistleblower within the meaning of the law.
What is reported must be of public interest, i.e. be serious and concern more than the person reporting, for example corruption, conflict of interest, environmental crimes or risks to life and health. What only concerns one's own work situation, salary or a conflict in the workplace is usually not whistleblowing, even though it may need to be investigated on other grounds. Part of the job of an investigator in whistleblowing is to determine what the matter actually is.
Businesses with at least 50 employees must have internal whistleblowing channels. The person reporting the matter shall receive confirmation within seven days and feedback within three months. Those handling the matter shall be independent and self-sufficient, and the task may be assigned to an external party. Read more about the whistleblower law at the Swedish Work Environment Authority..
1. First call, same day
We review what has been received, who is affected and what deadlines apply. You will receive an initial assessment of the case and, if you wish, a fixed price. Whether the report is covered by the Whistleblower Act is assessed when it is received. Whether the misconduct is substantiated will only be shown in the report.
2. Mandate and delimitation
The assignment is written down: what is to be investigated, what material the client will release, who is the client, who is allowed to read the report and how the protection of the whistleblower will be handled. A clear mandate is a prerequisite for the investigation to be credible.
3. Interviews
Affected parties and witnesses are heard individually, with the same questions and the same documentation. The complainant is often anonymous to the investigator and their identity is always protected. Expect two hours per person.
4. Analysis and report
The report distinguishes between what is proven and what cannot be proven, and states what each conclusion is based on. It is written to be presented if the case is examined by the union, the Swedish Work Environment Authority or a court, and to be read by the person who will make the decision.
5. Feedback
Oral review with the client and written report. If necessary, support in what happens next: discussions with those affected, measures, follow-up. If the matter has become a crisis for the organization, we can also support the management team in crisis management. The investigation is normally completed within four weeks from the start.
An external investigator is outside the organization and is impartial in relation to those affected by the case. This is what the Whistleblower Act requires of the person handling a case, independent and self-sufficient, and what the Swedish Work Environment Authority states in its advice on abusive discrimination: competence, impartiality and the trust of those affected. This makes it possible to hear people high up in the organization on the same terms as everyone else, and it strengthens the credibility of the report among those who reported, those who were singled out and those who will decide.
The mandate, scope and reporting are determined before the work begins. The investigator does not decide on sanctions. It is the employer's decision, based on the report.
Ulf Dennholt, lawyer and trainer in behavioral analysis. Has worked in Swedish industry and public sector since 2008 with safety, leadership and conflicts, and has held thousands of conversations with employees, managers and safety representatives about what is difficult to say out loud. The investigations are carried out by Ulf personally.
Not all sensitive matters are whistleblowing. The employer must, according to the regulations on organizational and social work environment have procedures for how to handle offensive discrimination, and the employer is obliged to investigate and take action. In the case of harassment according to the Discrimination Act, the obligation to investigate is explicit. We are hired to investigate offensive discrimination, harassment, difficulties in cooperation and conflicts that have become deadlocked, often called a fact-finding investigation.
The working method is the same as in whistleblowing: a clear mandate, individual interviews, a report that distinguishes between substantiated and unsubstantiated, and feedback to the client. The difference is that the goal is more often to get the work working again, not just to determine what happened. We have extensive experience in moving from investigation to change.
How quickly can you start?
First call the same day you hear from us. Usually starts within 48 hours of the mandate being completed.
How much does an investigation cost?
If you wish, at a fixed price according to the price list, unless otherwise agreed. The price list has three levels according to the number of interviews, from four to fourteen, so that you know the cost before we start. Request the price list.
Do we have to hire a law firm or an outside investigator?
The law requires that the person handling the case be independent and self-sufficient, not a law firm. An external investigator in the case of a whistleblowing case can meet the requirement. The investigator here is a lawyer, so the report is written with the examination that may come later in mind. If a representative is needed in a dispute, that is a different assignment.
Does the investigator meet the complainant?
The reporter is often anonymous to the investigator and the identity is always protected. Contact with the reporter is handled by the person who received the report, and who PeopleSkills has contact with depends on how the whistleblower function is arranged. The investigation is based on the material provided by the client and on interviews with the parties involved and witnesses. The reporter's identity is treated with confidentiality throughout the investigation.
Can the investigator be heard if the case goes forward?
Yes. The interviews are documented in the same way and the report states what each conclusion is based on.
What happens if the deadlines are not met?
The Swedish Work Environment Authority supervises the internal channels and can impose fines. Retaliation against the person who reported the matter results in damages. In many cases, the person reporting the matter can instead turn to the authority that is competent in the area, and anyone who does not receive confirmation and feedback in time has been given a reason to do so. Meeting the deadlines and taking the report seriously is therefore of great importance for whether the matter remains in the organization.
How long does it take?
Normally four weeks from start to report. Cases with many interviews or multiple locations may take longer, in which case you will be informed in advance.
Have you received a report that needs to be assessed or investigated? Call 070-024 05 90, we will have an initial conversation the same day about the situation, what your responsibilities are and what the right course of action is. The conversation is free of charge and does not oblige you to do anything.