Take a moment to imagine the kind of workplace where productivity stalls, employees become resentful, and misconduct runs amok. What do you see? As Scottish-American industrialist Andrew Carnegie famously said, “There is little success where there is little laughter.”
As seasoned corporate investigators, we know that the kinds of professional environments where such negative symptoms have taken hold are usually not much fun to be in. When corporate culture has gone sideways, the atmosphere is likely to be strained at best. At it’s worst, it’s potentially downright toxic. So, how might leaders and CEOs shape a healthier alternative?
As counter-intuitive as it may seem to those who have long prayed at the altar of strict and formal productivity, encouraging fun in the workplace can work wonders for nourishing employee happiness, fuelling purpose, and inspiring greater engagement. However, fun at work should be balanced and constructive if its value is to be maximized. Read on as we discuss the power of fun in the workplace and its role in improving corporate culture.
The Advantages of Encouraging Fun at Work
If you feel unsure about whether your employees perceive their working environment as a fun and friendly space, a corporate culture audit can be an ideal starting point for ensuring future camaraderie. However, before we look at the structural foundation required for effectively harnessing employee enjoyment, let’s look at the advantages that it can provide for ambitious businesses on the move.
Reduces Absenteeism and Turnover
When employees don’t enjoy their time at work, they are more likely to seek opportunities to avoid it. So much so, that studies show workers who have fun at work take notably fewer sick days than their counterparts. What’s more, when fun becomes an organic part of the working day, it has also been found to reduce turnover.
Improves Teamwork and Collaboration
Encouraging employees to collaborate in play allows them to flex the synergistic muscles that will also allow them to work together on behalf of your business. In this regard, creating shared fun goals offers greater value than encouraging competition. When intra-office rivalry gets out of hand, it can prevent teams from thinking and functioning as one. Meanwhile, effective team building can improve work ethic and innovation by as much as ten times.
Keeps Workplace Stress in Check
While pressure is bound to ebb and flow in most working environments, stress levels don’t need to follow in its footsteps. In fact, facilitating employee enjoyment can help keep elevated stress and tension at bay, supporting a healthier corporate culture over time. When we consider that 55% of Americans feel stressed each day, it becomes clear that introducing a little fun in the workplace is an excellent way to ward off burnout.
Making the Most of Fun in the Workplace
There is a delicate balance to strike when it comes to achieving optimal employee enjoyment at work. Fun activities should be structured, inclusive, and delineated from work duties. They must also accommodate the option to opt-out for those who might feel uncomfortable.
Complementing this, a supportive, friendly, and communicative atmosphere should be forged around professional duties. This makes unity, optimism, and proactive problem-solving core features of all collaboration. Would you like to understand employee enjoyment, engagement, and corporate culture more fully? Consider a corporate culture audit for your team and allow our expert advisors to set your team on track for success.
Everyone wants to feel safe and secure at work, and there are plenty of reasons for employers to prioritize workplace safety and culture. For employees, fewer peripheral worries make it easier to fully enter a flow state and productively engage, which means happier teams and boosted profits, to name just a couple of the potential rewards on the table.
Meanwhile, serving as food for thought for leadership, forging an ironclad safety culture at work will also help with retaining the best talent and reducing workplace risks. One recent worker survey found that 97% of respondents considered safety culture a major factor in choosing where to work, while another identified that workers who feel psychologically safe are less likely to be injured during their workday.
Perhaps counter-intuitively, the nuances of corporate culture play an essential role in shaping a sense of safety at work. Why might that be? Well, strong, impassioned, engaged, and emotionally invested teams are not only more productive, but also more mutually supportive and attentive to procedures and the well-being of others.
As corporate investigators here at Lauth Investigations HQ, our work extends beyond aiding businesses experiencing the challenges arising after a negative incident in the workplace. It also includes proactively helping them to reduce risk while increasing every metric of corporate success—from the bottom line to team-wide morale and ultimate employee safety.
Workplace Safety Culture Checklist
To foster a stronger safety culture at work and boost those vital and welcome business-heath metrics, we provide corporate culture audits to a spectrum of American businesses. But first, what does a safety culture at work look like? Here’s a safety culture checklist to help get you started.
1. Strong Hiring Practices
As corporate investigators know all too well, ensuring workplace culture and safety begins with careful recruitment. It’s important that employers enjoy confidence that their latest recruits have a glowing professional track record and no skeletons in the closet. Employee background checks are an excellent tool when striving to better safeguard your team and brand. 2. Shared Mission and Values
Encouraging the kind of employee engagement that allows teams to work mindfully and safely begins with creating a shared sense of not only mission and purpose, but also the whys and values driving employees’ daily actions.
3. Clear Policies and Procedures
Implementing best practices when it comes to procedural safety and behavioral policies is an absolute must for employees aiming to encourage employee confidence. Among these should be communication channels, allowing employees to raise concerns whenever they arise.
4. Critical Risk Assessments
Working environments can be complicated places, with many moving parts, teams, and factors in play. An expert workplace risk assessment can help to reveal potential safety vulnerabilities, for greater peace of mind among both teams and leadership.
5. Ongoing Training and Awareness
Company values and policies, mission statements, and procedures are all but useless if they remain in an employee handbook that nobody takes the time to read. It is crucial that leadership revisit these touchpoints in regular training and showcase them daily in order to keep team awareness high.
6. Unbeatable Corporate Culture
When corporate culture is thriving, it’s easy to see it in the dynamism of a workforce, energetic productivity, positive working relationships, and well-oiled efficiency. But what creates great workplace culture? It is the sum of many parts, including on-point safety practices, free-flowing communication, team alignment on objectives and values, and more factors besides.
Many companies don’t realize that their company culture has declined until a worrying pattern of dipping profits and employee misconduct have manifested. However, it’s entirely possible to get ahead of such perils and reinforce corporate culture with a corporate culture audit. Discover more about how a corporate culture audit works today or contact our team to learn more about how corporate investigators could support your business today.
Research suggests that 75% of employees have stolen from their place of work in the past, making corporate theft a priority issue for any business owner or CEO with self-preservation high on their agenda.
Every employer likes to imagine that they’ve hired a trustworthy team rather than created a den of thieves. However, unfortunately, as many as 95% of U.S. companies get caught out at least once by an enemy lurking within.
Meanwhile, workplace theft runs up an annual bill of $50 billion annually for American businesses. Fortunately, a strategic corporate theft investigation can stop employee theft in its tracks and make it less likely to happen in the future.
Preventing Employee Theft by Strengthening Corporate Culture
When we think about theft prevention, it is easy to focus solely on locking down assets and ramping up security protocols, but there is another area of concern that shouldn’t be overlooked. Research shows that unhappy employees are more likely to behave unethically towards their employer. Employees that feel valued and grateful are less likely to be dishonest.
This provides yet another reason to add to your list of why corporate culture is worth investing in. A great place to start when it comes to building a stronger workplace culture is with a corporate culture audit, providing clear oversight of the current status quo and a clear path to improve and enhance culture for the better.
Of course, not all would-be thieves will be deterred by a place within a happy workplace. This makes comprehensive corporate background checks an essential addition to the employer’s toolkit. It also makes vigilance among leadership essential, and swift action a smart move when the need to launch a corporate theft investigation arises.
Workplace theft can vary dramatically in scope and scale, ranging from minor losses of things like stationery from a few slippery-fingered team members through to widespread and coordinated theft of expensive equipment, retail stock, sensitive data, financial assets, and more. While the proportion of the issue will certainly shape the urgency of the response, all employee theft should be taken seriously before it contributes to a negative shift in corporate culture.
A corporate theft investigation should focus on the achievement of four main objectives. The first is to identify the perpetrators, the second is to secure evidence of their activities. The third is to recover lost assets where possible, and the fourth is to respond appropriately, ranging from disciplinary action through to prosecution of those involved. If you are concerned about employee theft in your place of business and are unsure how to proceed, our dedicated team of corporate investigators here at Lauth Investigations is ready to assist. We will guide you through every step of the investigatory process, from conducting undercover operations to interviewing witnesses and compiling evidence for legal proceedings. Discover more about how we investigate workplace theft or contact our team today.
When an employee makes a report of workplace discrimination or harassment, it is important for the employer to conduct a thorough investigation. However, with the delicate nature of Equal Employment Opportunity investigations, leadership or human resources may not have the breadth of experience or resources to exercise due diligence. That’s why many companies initiate the process of hiring a private investigator for an EEO investigation.
A private investigator can bring a number of skills and experience to a corporate EEO investigation. They can:
Conduct interviews with witnesses. A private investigator is trained to conduct interviews in a way that gathers accurate and unbiased information. They can also interview witnesses who may be reluctant to speak to the company’s human resources department.
Gather documentary evidence. A private investigator can review documents, such as emails, text messages, and social media posts, that may be relevant to the investigation. They can also obtain copies of documents that are not in the company’s possession, such as medical records or employment records from previous employers.
Conduct surveillance. In some cases, a private investigator may need to conduct surveillance to gather information about the incident. This may involve following the alleged harasser or observing their behavior.
Write a comprehensive report. At the end of the investigation, the private investigator will write a comprehensive report that summarizes the findings. This report will be used by the company to determine whether discrimination or harassment has occurred. Leadership will then plan a proper course of action.
The Benefits of Hiring a Private Investigator for an EEO Investigation
There are a number of benefits to hiring a private investigator to conduct an EEO investigation. These benefits include:
Impartiality. A private investigator is not affiliated with the company, so they can provide an impartial and objective view of the situation. Their perspective will also come in handy should any litigation arrive as the result of the investigation.
Experience. Private investigators have experience conducting investigations, so they know how to gather evidence and interview witnesses.
Confidentiality. Private investigators are bound by confidentiality, so they can ensure that the investigation is conducted in a confidential manner.
If your company receives a report of workplace discrimination or harassment, it is important to conduct a thorough investigation. By hiring a private investigator, you can ensure that the investigation is conducted in a fair, impartial, and confidential manner.
Here are some additional tips:
Get recommendations from other businesses. Ask other businesses in your industry if they have experience hiring a private investigator for an EEO investigation and if they were satisfied with the results.
Interview several investigators. Interview several private investigators to get a feel for their experience and qualifications.
Get everything in writing. Before hiring a private investigator, get everything in writing, including the scope of the investigation, the fees, and the confidentiality agreement.
By following these tips, you can ensure that you hire a qualified and experienced private investigator to conduct your EEO investigation. If you need require assistance in an EEO investigation, please contact Lauth Investigations International today for a free quote on how we can bring you the best in verified intelligence. We are staffed by former military and law enforcement personnel and carry a glowing A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Workplace harassment and discrimination are serious problems that can have a devastating impact on employees. They can create a hostile work environment, lead to decreased productivity, and even result in physical or psychological harm. Employers have a legal obligation to take steps to prevent and address workplace harassment and discrimination. Not only is it legally imperative, but it is also important to the company’s bottom line. Research shows that workplace harassment and discrimination lead to billions of associated costs to corporations globally each year. One of the most important steps is to conduct thorough investigations whenever a complaint is made.
A workplace investigation is a process of gathering information and evidence to determine whether or not harassment or discrimination has occurred. The goal of an investigation is to uncover the facts of the situation and to reach a fair and impartial decision.
Investigating Workplace Harassment and Discrimination
There are a number of steps involved in conducting an investigation into workplace harassment and discrimination. These steps include:
Gathering information. The investigator will need to gather as much information as possible about the incident, including the names of the people involved, the date and time of the incident, and the specific details of what happened.
Interviewing witnesses. The investigator will need to interview all of the witnesses to the incident, including the complainant, the alleged harasser, and any other employees who may have knowledge of the situation.
Reviewing documentation. The investigator may also need to review any relevant documentation, such as emails, text messages, or other written records.
Reaching a conclusion. After gathering all of the information, the investigator will need to reach a conclusion about whether or not harassment or discrimination has occurred. The investigator will then make a recommendation to the employer about how to proceed.
Workplace investigations can be complex and challenging. However, they are an essential tool for employers to prevent and address harassment and discrimination. By conducting thorough investigations, employers can create a safe and respectful workplace for all employees.
Here are some additional tips for conducting workplace investigations
Choose an impartial investigator. The investigator should be someone who is not directly involved in the situation and who has no prior relationship with the people involved.
Conduct the investigation in a timely manner. The investigation should be conducted as quickly as possible to minimize the disruption to the workplace and to allow the employee to feel safe and secure.
Be respectful of all parties involved. The investigator should treat all parties involved with respect, regardless of their role in the incident.
Document the investigation thoroughly. The investigator should document all of the steps taken during the investigation, including the information gathered, the interviews conducted, and the conclusions reached.
By following these tips, employers can conduct workplace investigations that are fair, impartial, and thorough. This will help to ensure that harassment and discrimination are prevented and addressed in the workplace.
Here are some of the signs that may indicate that harassment or discrimination is occurring in your workplace:
Employees are avoiding certain people or areas of the workplace.
Employees are making complaints about their treatment.
There is a decline in productivity or morale.
There are reports of injuries or illnesses that may be related to stress or harassment.
If you suspect that harassment or discrimination is occurring in your workplace, it is important to take action. You can start by talking to the employee who is being harassed or discriminated against. You can also contact your human resources department or an outside investigator. By taking action, you can help to create a safe and respectful workplace for all employees.
Hiring a private investigator
Despite the best of intentions, some companies or human resource departments may lack the appropriate resources or expertise to conduct a workplace investigation. In the event that the company finds itself unprepared, a third-party investigation by a private investigator may be the appropriate solution. Private investigators have a great deal of experience in identifying the unseen factors in any given situation. They can fully document all of their discoveries throughout the course of the investigation. There is no more impartial investigator than a private investigator independent from the corporation or organization, because they have no stake in the outcome. If you need a workplace investigation, reach out to Lauth Investigations International for a free quote on how we can help improve your business.
