The HR Investigations Podcast

Podcast Title: The HR Investigations Podcast
Episode Title: When HR Gets It Wrong: Lessons Learned from Botched Investigations
Hosted by: Natalie Ivey
 
Episode Summary:
In this episode of The HR Investigations Podcast, Natalie Ivey breaks down real-life investigation failures that resulted in serious consequences for organizations—from wrongful termination lawsuits to reputational damage and broken employee trust.
You’ll hear three case studies where HR got it wrong—sometimes unintentionally—and discover the critical lessons each one teaches about fairness, documentation, neutrality, and investigative bias.
Natalie also shares her Top 5 Prevention Strategies for avoiding costly missteps and building investigation processes that are defensible, ethical, and compliant.
 
🔍 What You’ll Learn:
Why skipping key steps in an investigation can be legally risky
How poor documentation can damage your credibility
How bias—conscious or unconscious—can derail fact-finding
The importance of procedural fairness and neutrality
Five practical strategies for strengthening your HR investigations
 
🧪 Case Studies Covered:
The Accused Was Never Interviewed – Leading to a wrongful termination lawsuit
Investigative Notes Go Missing – Resulting in lack of evidence during a legal dispute
Bias in the Interview Process – Causing mistrust and reopening of a closed case
 
✅ Natalie’s 5 Prevention Strategies:
Use an investigation plan
Document every step
Ensure neutrality
Base conclusions on facts, not feelings
Close the communication loop with all parties involved
 
📚 Resources Mentioned:
How to Conduct Internal Investigations by Natalie Iveyhttps://www.amazon.com/How-Conduct-Internal-Investigations-Professionals/dp/1948382970/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fMSMv7BRFHw6ljJoBjP4uGljsUr8ocRRqCxTa6rWlSnGTlSUW7w1EUy8qROIMQPvboHzq4T7AX2fM0DI2T-eyVjPtyaK3aIZLR8lDDTOR8diQtTTAkNSWoNyP9Y0qlH7DjF5D7Zm7baLMUMDJyUmIUoAyCy6YA-MXARlZUOvk2U0AdiiLHIELS1i6lweM_F-dgzrSkLVNq34XyWd3uzdLuHaKiyTQgo3ZBCG6SqFdCc.wzBpFyf_pJMoKelkCm3YeZPXZzCfdZUvuKyrwwpLH_I&qid=1755647855&sr=8-1
Join Natalie Ivey for a live, 2-day virtual workshop:How to Conduct Internal Investigations – A Practical Workshop for HR ProfessionalsSeptember 23–24 | 🕚 11 AM – 5 PM ET | 📍 Via ZoomWalk through a mock investigation, learn credibility assessment techniques, and gain practical tools to handle even the toughest cases.Register by September 16 – Spots are limited!
Join Natalie Ivey for a live, 2-day virtual workshop:How to Conduct Internal Investigations – A Practical Workshop for HR ProfessionalsSeptember 23–24 | 🕚 11 AM – 5 PM ET | 📍 Via ZoomWalk through a mock investigation, learn credibility assessment techniques, and gain practical tools to handle even the toughest cases.Register by September 16 – Spots are limited!https://www.rpchr.com/events
 
 
👂 Listen + Subscribe:
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When HR Gets It Wrong: Lessons Learned from Botched Investigations
As HR professionals, we do our best to handle investigations thoroughly and fairly. But let’s face it—sometimes we miss the mark. And when that happens, the consequences can be costly: lawsuits, damaged reputations, and broken trust.
In the latest episode of The HR Investigations Podcast, I break down real-world investigation failures—cases where things went sideways—and share the key lessons every HR pro should know.
✅ A supervisor was fired—without ever being interviewed✅ Investigation notes mysteriously “disappeared”✅ Bias derailed the fact-finding process
I also share my Top 5 Prevention Strategies to help you avoid these mistakes and build investigation processes that are ethical, defensible, and compliant.🔁 Share with your HR colleagues💬 Let me know in the comments: What’s one lesson you learned the hard way in an investigation?
#HumanResources #WorkplaceInvestigations #HRPodcast #EmployeeRelations #Compliance #HRInvestigations #Leadership #HRTips #NatalieIvey #PodcastPromotion
 
 

Episode Title: The Power of Persuasion in HR: A Conversation with Cindy SkalickyHost: Natalie IveyGuest: Cindy Skalicky, Author of Red Light, Green Light
Episode Summary:
In this powerful episode, host Natalie Ivey sits down with messaging strategist and executive coach Cindy Skalicky to explore the power of persuasion in Human Resources. Whether you're presenting investigation findings to executives, coaching a challenging employee, or making a case for disciplinary action, how you deliver the message can make or break your influence.
Cindy shares insights from her bestselling book, Red Light, Green Light: How Top Leaders Present with Polish, Get Buy-in, and Become More Influential. Together, Natalie and Cindy unpack strategies HR professionals can use to build executive presence, craft compelling narratives, and communicate confidently—especially in high-stakes, high-pressure environments.
This episode is filled with real-world tips and practical tools that every HR professional should have in their communication toolkit.
Key Topics Covered:
Why persuasion is essential in HR roles
The HOW-TO Model for structuring persuasive communication
Using storytelling techniques without compromising objectivity
Building executive presence in high-stakes meetings
Real-life scenarios: Persuading leadership to act on difficult decisions
Cindy’s top advice for becoming a more influential communicator
Resources Mentioned:
Book: Red Light, Green Light by Cindy Skalicky
Link:https://www.amazon.com/Red-Light-Green-Buy-Influential-ebook/dp/B0FHGWNCPJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2GB9RLOCY9LTS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.i59XGqpF9NPzikhokdwGt0uFCd1t24XDscAW795j6Ac.XSN7YFwfAWyZXH_iUnGBZNG8AcYeet66MI4mil9ycfI&dib_tag=se&keywords=red+light+green+light+book+cindy+skalicky&qid=1754580145&sprefix=red+light+green+light+cindy%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-1
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Enjoyed this episode?✅ Subscribe⭐ Leave us a 5-star review📤 Share with a colleague who could use a persuasion boost!
Connect with Us
Host: Natalie IveyWebsite: https://www.rpchr.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieivey/
Cindy's Website: https://onpoint-communications.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-skalicky
Join Natalie Ivey for a live, 2-day virtual workshop:How to Conduct Internal Investigations – A Practical Workshop for HR ProfessionalsSeptember 23–24 | 🕚 11 AM – 5 PM ET | 📍 Via ZoomWalk through a mock investigation, learn credibility assessment techniques, and gain practical tools to handle even the toughest cases.Register by September 16 – Spots are limited!https://www.rpchr.com/events
 
 

In this episode of The HR Investigations Podcast, host Natalie Ivey dives into a crucial but often overlooked area: the role of senior leadership in supporting internal investigations. Too often, HR teams are conducting complex and sensitive investigations without clear support or understanding from the C-suite—and that can spell disaster.
Natalie unpacks the most common misconceptions executives hold about the investigative process and how HR professionals can bridge this knowledge gap. From enterprise risk management to legal exposure and employee morale, investigations have ripple effects throughout the organization—and the C-suite needs to be tuned in.
Tune in to learn:
How to educate executives about HR’s role in investigations
Tips for presenting investigative findings to senior leaders with clarity and impact
What to include in your next leadership briefing on workplace culture and legal risk
Whether you're in HR, legal, or a leadership role yourself, this episode will equip you with the insights to elevate the investigative function in your organization—and ensure it gets the strategic attention it deserves.
Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Natalie Ivey on LinkedIn
Explore more episodes of The HR Investigations Podcast, specifically Seal of Honor: Leadership Accountability and Lessons from the Frontline https://rpchr.podbean.com/e/seal-of-honor-leadership-accountability-and-lessons-from-the-frontline/

Remote but Not Invisible: Investigating Misconduct in Hybrid and Remote Work Environments
Episode Highlights: As remote and hybrid work have become the norm, employee misconduct hasn’t disappeared—it’s just gone digital. In this episode, host Natalie Ivey unpacks the complexities of conducting internal investigations when your workforce is no longer down the hall but scattered across Zoom, Slack, and email threads.
Tune in to learn how to handle complaints in a virtual environment without compromising the integrity of your investigations. From digital evidence to virtual interviews, this episode is packed with actionable strategies for HR and employee relations professionals navigating misconduct in today’s dispersed workplace.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
The key differences between remote and in-person investigations
Common complaints arising in hybrid and remote settings (harassment, time theft, digital communication conflicts, and more)
How to gather and preserve digital evidence with help from IT
Interviewing best practices for virtual environments
How to maintain confidentiality when employees are working from home
Mistakes to avoid when investigating remotely
Upcoming 2-day Virtual Investigations Workshop:Ready to sharpen your investigation skills?Join Natalie Ivey for a live, 2-day virtual workshop:How to Conduct Internal Investigations – A Practical Workshop for HR ProfessionalsJuly 23–24 | 🕚 11 AM – 4 PM ET | 📍 Via ZoomWalk through a mock investigation, learn credibility assessment techniques, and gain practical tools to handle even the toughest cases.Register by July 16 – Spots are limited!Visit www.rpchr.com or click the link in today’s show notes.
Resources Mentioned:
Register for the Workshop  https://www.rpchr.com/webinar/internal-investigations-virtual-event
Connect with Natalie Ivey on LinkedIn
Explore more episodes of The HR Investigations Podcast

Natalie’s upcoming 2-day Virtual Investigations Workshop:
July 23-24, 202511:00 am – 4:00 pm
Details and registration link:
https://www.rpchr.com/webinar/internal-investigations-virtual-event
In this episode, podcast host Natalie Ivey discusses Key topics: 
Announcement of the release of the 2nd edition of Natalie Ivey’s book, How to Conduct Internal Investigations: A Practical Guide for Human Resource Professionals
Announcement of the upcoming 2-day virtual workshop: How to Conduct Internal Investigations: A Practical Workshop for HR Professionals on July 23-24 from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm.  The workshop will provide education on how to navigate tricky employee relations’ issues, how to assess when to open an investigation and when not to, how to prepare for and conduct effective witness interviews, how to gather and preserve evidence, and how to prepare a final investigation report.
Examine the issue of managers just not documenting employee behavior and performance issues.
Discuss the danger in firing an employee “At-will” without any sort of documentation and how an EEOC investigator sees it
Examine why it is critical to have documentation that supports an employee engaged in misconduct that violated organizational policy or that the employee wasn’t meeting performance expectations
Discuss the issue of managers failing to document employee issues, run to HR announcing they wish to fire an employee and then view HR as “the enemy” when HR pushes back on a termination of employment due to lack of documentation.
Identify root causes to managers failing to document
Explain the benefits of phone apps and tech shortcuts to help managers stay organized and minimize the burdensome task of memorializing notes of employee conversations.
Review several key solutions to improving managers’ documentation capabilities
Check out Natalie’s new book here:
https://www.amazon.com/How-Conduct-Internal-Investigations-Professionals-ebook/dp/B0F6W3CM8M/ref=sr_1_1?crid=85BSXHJNIJZD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fMSMv7BRFHw6ljJoBjP4uGljsUr8ocRRqCxTa6rWlSliyLb1ONDXw2uFskHFDMgJrFZYU6wBbZtWWt1f40QjEPHBqcKQLxThHAdG8qr7WYRjihInvDtQv5WKLxiNchk0ISvRSh3mVRHdpRjh0Xk1xOwGBrJJFKFS3nu6ZBJ2tPaRD5WxK2_S9j2qMo1FO37E_pjkwBF46P-zFuwxgvY-dQJmex4m-cgpkXKAbsvXSu4.Ycb0vQbtuKH2IaUhA4lKpd3uAreWsrft58a2JMMsVSw&dib_tag=se&keywords=natalie+ivey&qid=1748551923&sprefix=natalie+iv%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-1

Visit RPC HR for more information.
Check out Natalie's REVISED book How to Conduct Internal Investigations: A Practical Guide for Human Resource Professionals here:https://tinyurl.com/y39s7n77

Check out Natalie's REVISED book How to Conduct Internal Investigations: A Practical Guide for Human Resource Professionals here:https://tinyurl.com/y39s7n77
Visit RPC HR for more information.
 

Visit RPC HR for more information.
Check out Natalie's book How to Conduct Internal Investigations: A Practical Guide for Human Resource Professionals here:https://tinyurl.com/y39s7n77

In this episode, podcast host Natalie Ivey and special Gen Z’er guest, Madison Ebben, discuss generational differences and priorities, what Gen Z looks for at work, and how organizations can make some adjustments to improve employee engagement and retention of this dynamic generation.
Special guest:
Madison Ebben, SHRM-CP Executive Assistant | Event Manager
Key topics:
Review of Gen Z and this generation’s characteristics
Discuss what HR and business leaders need to know about Gen Z
Examine what Gen Z’ers really want from their employers
Discussing employee relations and things that Gen Z won’t tolerate that previous generations may have tolerated 
Review the Top 3 things that leaders need to do to fully engage their Gen Z talent to improve employee relations and minimize turnover
Visit RPC HR for show notes and more information.
Check out Natalie's book How to Conduct Internal Investigations: A Practical Guide for Human Resource Professionals here:https://tinyurl.com/y39s7n77

In this episode, podcast host Natalie Ivey and special guest, Deb Muller, Founder & CEO of employee relations case management software solution, HR Acuity, discuss the evolution of employee relations and investigations in the digital age. Deb Muller shares proactive approaches, emphasizing the importance of using technology to prevent incidents and improve employee relations. Deb shared her experience of working in a time when employee relations was not a strategic function, and how the landscape has changed with the increasing importance of centralized employee relations teams.
Key topics:
 
Examining the digital age of employee relations
KPIs for workplace improvement
Discussing the need for predictive indicators and the use of data to demonstrate the impact of employee relations on cost savings.
Discussing the importance of trust in the workplace, noting that employees who had experienced an investigation and resolution were more likely to recommend their company as a place to work. 
Investing in HR Technology and Strategies
Discussing the importance of investing in technology for HR functions, emphasizing that HR professionals should not be expected to operate without the same level of technology as other departments.
Highlighting the need for HR to move beyond reactive measures and focus on proactive strategies, such as job design and employee relations.
Link to HR Acuity resources:  https://www.hracuity.com/resources/
Visit RPC HR for show notes and more information.
Check out Natalie's book How to Conduct Internal Investigations: A Practical Guide for Human Resource Professionals here:https://tinyurl.com/y39s7n77