Workplace Assessments
A workplace assessment is a process in which the employer hires an external consultant to investigate and assess the environment and culture in a workplace because the employer has identified a concern and wants to address it. The workplace assessment process can be tailored to fit any office size, whether the organization is large or small.
Workplace Mediation
Conflict and disputes arise in all sorts of situations including the workplace. Workplace mediation is a process in which two individuals or teams are in conflict and they seek the services of a neutral third party to help them resolve their dispute and formalize any agreement(s).
Workplace mediation is often a better alternative for individuals in conflict because they have control over a specific outcome that will impact them.
Workplace mediation leads to effective resolutions for all parties while creating a greater understanding between parties.
In mediation parties discuss their positions, underlying reasons, impacts and potential solutions for each individual conflict or dispute.
Please click on the link for an outline of the mediation process.
Workplace Investigations
Addressing allegations of employee misconduct including workplace harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination and sexual violence is the responsibility of the employer according to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Circle Consulting and Resolutions provides expert investigations services into allegations of all types of Human Rights Code based harassment and discrimination claims. We also provide investigative services into allegations of workplace harassment, bullying, and other misconduct.
An external investigator provides the employer with an independent, neutral third party to conduct an investigation and removes the potential for a perceived bias towards the complainant or respondent if done by an internal staff member.
At Circle Consulting and Resolutions our goal is to provide confidential, impartial, efficient, and thorough investigations to our clients. We do this by following this process:
Initial Consultations with Client, discuss concerns, options and establish investigation mandate
Sign services agreement with investigation mandate/scope and pay retainer fee.
Meet with Complainant and advise of investigation process, review complaint, discuss confidentiality, interview complainant and discuss any interim message that ought to be in place during the investigation.
Meet with Respondent and advise of investigation process, provide complaint, discuss confidentiality request a written response within a reasonable period of time.
Assess complainant information and evidence – follow up with witnesses as appropriate.
Interview respondent.
Assess respondent information and evidence – follow up with witnesses as appropriate.
Gather any other evidence such as notes made about events, emails, and digital evidence such as audio recordings and videos.
Review and assess all evidence and identify any inconsistencies, contradictory information, credibility and follow up with all parties to the investigation as needed.
Follow up interviews with the complainant and respondent, as appropriate, to address or comment on any new evidence, allegations or counter allegations.
Analyze all the evidence/information received and input all relevant evidence/information into allegations and response table.
Write investigation report that thoroughly lays out findings for each specific allegation and whether it was a breach of the Employer’s policies, the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code, as appropriate.
In situations where there isn’t enough evidence to come to a determination on a specific allegation, or several, the investigation is expanded and a credibility assessment is completed to make a determination based on what was more likely than not.
The Final Report is provided to the employer and a meeting is arranged to discuss the findings and next steps.
Management Consultations
This service is available to managers and employers who would like to work with a consultant as they address a concern on their own. Employers and managers benefit from this service by speaking with an expert about the employer obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
One on One and Group Facilitation
Facilitation is a process in which individuals decide to engage the services of a neutral third party, that has no authority or decision making power, to help facilitate an interests based conversation by identifying positions, underlying reasons, impacts and solutions.
Human Rights/Harassment and Discrimination Training
At Circle Consulting and Resolutions we offer half day and full day training’s on Human Rights in the workplace, Human Rights 101, for staff and management as well as Employer obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety act as it relates to the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Conflict Management Training
We also provide half day and full day conflict management training for staff and management. Often people haven’t been taught the skills to manage conflict effectively and this leads to negative interactions between people. Conflict management training can help improve culture in the office by giving people the skills to manage conflict effectively and respectfully.
Conflict Coaching
Conflict Coaching is a service that is used to support individuals in the workplace with one on one coaching to help the manage, engage and resolve conflict they are personally struggling with or how to address conflict between their team members.