LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / December 3, 2021 / Whether you have a business or a nonprofit organization, your basic goals are relatively simple: to grow your client base and to bring your products or services to them. As anyone who has been in the workforce knows, however, it doesn't take long for things to get complicated. Companies big and small as well as charities will eventually need to replace their leadership, yet they must choose their successors wisely. Workplace investigations will be necessary as cases of discrimination, harassment, theft, and retaliation against whistleblowers arise. While many investigations and background checks will be handled in-house, should executives consider outsourcing their needs to a specialist? Retired Police Chief Jesus "Eddie" Campa, the founder and CEO of America's Best Strategic Security Group, weighs in on this dilemma.
First Advantage: Access to Professionals Who Can Conduct Sensitive Investigations
Campa explains outsourcing an investigation may be appropriate depending on the nature of the allegation. "Some things might be very easy to resolve on your own," he says. "However, if there is the possibility that an employee has committed a crime, I would recommend hiring an outside investigator. This person, especially if they have any experience in law enforcement, will most likely better know how to conduct an investigation that is discreet, thorough, and within any legal guidelines."
Additionally, Campa recommends hiring a third-party when the person suspected of bad conduct would usually be part of conducting the investigation. "You can see, then, that this would be a potential conflict of interest," he states. "This is another example of when using an outside agency could be of benefit to you."
Second Advantage: The Assistance of People Who Are Trained in Conducting Investigations
Campa believes that it is very important that investigations be conducted systematically and thoroughly. "This is true no matter what the nature of the allegation is. If it is a criminal allegation, then it's especially important that no steps be overlooked and that evidence be properly collected," he states. "When an investigation is improperly handled, that can potentially result in the company or nonprofit either facing legal action against them or the case completely falling apart. Sometimes both. By hiring a firm that understands how to conduct a meticulous investigation that stays within any legal parameters, the company will be better protected and have more thorough results."
Third Advantage: The Avoidance of Any Bias in the Investigation
Investigative bias, Campa says, can be hard to avoid by an in-house team. "In any investigation, you basically have four parties: the accused, the person making the accusation, any witnesses, and the investigator. Bias can come into play when any of them already know each other. A witness, for example, may know the accused and not like them. That can affect how they interpret what they saw. The same is true for the investigator or anyone else. By outsourcing the investigation, you can bring in someone who is impartial and who won't have any history with those involved."
Fourth Advantage: The Ability to Save on Costs
Background checks, especially for executives, can be expensive when conducted in-house, states Campa . "By the time someone gets to the level that they are considered for an executive position, it's not unusual for them to have lived in multiple areas and had several jobs," he says. "To really do a thorough check, a company may be faced with expending a lot of time and effort to contact different judicial outlets and get all the needed information. By allowing a professional to do this for you, you can save money and focus instead on other in-house matters."
Fifth Advantage: Compliance with Legal Regulations
Background checks, Campa reveals, can be more complex than some HR departments can handle. "They most likely already know that they must follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act," he states. "However, there are still other regulations that will vary according to the state and city the business is in. If the person has resided in different states, then the company must abide by its laws as well. A good investigator will know how to stay compliant no matter what state the background check is conducted in."
The Takeaway For Businesses and Nonprofits Who Must Conduct Investigations and Background Checks
Whether or not an investigation should be outsourced will most likely depend on its circumstances. However, it is worth remembering agencies like America's Best Strategic Security Group for when an allegation or background check appears to be outside of a company or nonprofit's capabilities so that it is done ethically, thoroughly, and legally.
For more information about America's Best Strategic Security Group, please visit https://abstrategicgroup.com/.
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SOURCE: America's Best Strategic Security Group