Neutral Independent Investigation
In the workplace or on campus, challenging situations sometimes demand that you find the facts first. The longer you put this off the messier things can become. When you bring in a neutral professional from the outside, you give everyone the confidence that you approached the matter seriously and fairly. And after you get all the right facts, you can make the best decisions going forward.
These are a just a few examples of when you may wish to consider using a neutral independent investigator:
- Complaints involving harassment, discrimination or hostile environment
- Allegations of misconduct on the part of executives or senior managers
- Whistle-blower complaints
- Suspected policy violations that may be complex or widespread
- Serious incidents that could lead to employee discipline or litigation
Our consultants are seasoned professionals. We have handled all of these scenarios and more. We always start by meeting with you to carefully define the issues and scope of the project. Together we develop an investigation plan that meets your objectives and timeline. A consultant who specializes in this type of investigation can do it much more efficiently and economically than a law firm can.
Most investigations include detailed interviews of those involved. We may also review policies, reports, e-mails, photographs and other documentation. Each investigation is unique. We conclude by providing you with a comprehensive written report so you can move to the next step with confidence. We are also available to provide testimony or other necessary follow-up.
Facilitation
Difficult conversations are much more productive with a neutral facilitator who has no relationship with the parties or the organization. We don’t give you solutions, we help you develop them yourself. We employ a restorative approach, meaning we help the participants analyze the issues while avoiding accusation and blame. Then we direct the discussion toward specific steps to resolution and future success for all involved.
Each facilitation is different and specifically designed to meet your needs. A facilitation may require one meeting or a series of meetings, during which we help the participants create shared goals and specifically define each person’s contributions toward future success. We usually close by helping you write up a realistic plan and agreement.
Mediation
Mediation is an opportunity to resolve litigation or threatened litigation in a better way. It gives you options you won’t have once your case goes to trial. You can also save a lot of time and money. We are trained experienced mediators qualified under Rule 114 of the Minnesota Rules of General Practice. We help the parties make the most of their settlement discussions and we draft settlement agreements that are legally enforceable. In order to maintain neutrality, we do not mediate cases in which we have conducted an investigation or facilitation.
Mendota Consultants PLLC 