2016 - Human Resources Investigations: Strategies for Enhancing Confidence in the Investigative Process

Overview:
This session will address the intricacies of investigative work that often remain elusive for a designated human resources investigator. This session will assist an assigned investigator whether they are a fulltime human resources department employee or an ad hoc/external service provider.
Extensive investigative work requires two companion efforts. These include a global understanding of the merits of the organization's needs (preferred outcomes of the process), as well as a neutrality in the fact finding and interviewing methodology that is used. The ability to master this balance insures that the final investigative report and/or recommendations provide a clear path for resolving the original matter. This session will assist attendees in aligning these needs and creating their own action plan for enhanced investigative projects.
Why Should You Attend: Human resources investigations are often the most tedious and time consuming aspects of the work assignments required by professionals in this field. Investigative needs arise when there are both allegations of misconduct n the part of individuals, as well as criticism of the overall organization and its inability to proctor leadership decision processes. Poorly executed investigations often result in more complex problems for an organization rather than resulting in the restoration of confidence in the actions of all concerned. This session will cover fundamental as well as advanced recommendations for performing high quality investigations.
Areas Covered in the Session: This session will cover the following components of human resource investigative work:
Determining the end goals before you begin.
Designing the most effective investigative strategy for each issue.
Determining witness assessment and involvement; methods of data collection when the organization is under complex political scrutiny.
Designing the draft and final reports for both internal and external review.
Who Will Benefit:
Human Resources Managers
Human Resource Generalists
Human Resource Labor Relations Specialists
Risk Management and Human Resource
Risk Managers Specialists
Private and Non-profit Sectors
Instructor:
Teri J. Traaen , Ed.D., D.P.A. is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Traaen & Associates, LLC. Traaen & Associates, LLC is a human resource management organization with three service divisions. These service divisions include: technical human resource management services; employee and labor relations interventions; and training and organizational development services.
Dr. Traaen’s professional experience includes over thirty years in the human resource field. Her professional service includes leading highly complex human resource teams in small, medium and large municipal government sectors, an urban K-12 public school district, a community college/county partnership for federally funded job training and development in support of rural economic development. She has served as a labor negotiator for management throughout her career, focusing on collaborative solutions to the conflict based situations most often navigated when salary and benefits packages are less than desired by both labor and management. Dr. Traaen’s professional experience is supported by two earned doctoral degrees, including a doctorate of public administration and a doctorate in higher and adult education.
Career accolades for Dr. Traaen include induction into Arizona State University’s School of Public Affairs Alumni Hall of Fame, as well as being the recipient of the Faculty Associate Excellence in Teaching Award for her work as an adjunct faculty member in the College of Public Programs, School of Public Affairs. Dr. Traaen’s graduate research centered on ethics based leadership with Arizona city and town managers, with replication of this original case study work in four other states in the U.S. and throughout many jurisdictions in the United Kingdom. This project culminated in the publication of her first book on ethics titled A Matter of Ethics ? Facing The Fear Of Doing The Right Thing, JAI Press, 2000. The emphasis in this book focused on designing and developing embedded ethics initiative and training programs for public sector organizations. Dr. Traaen’s next publication will be titled The Role of HR in Navigating An Organization Through Unprincipled Leadership and will be based upon public sector case studies. Dr. Traaen has served as a registered lobbyist at the Arizona State Legislature for an Arizona nonprofit organization since 2007.