what the heck is a workplace assessment?
A few months ago, I was on a new client consult call for my workplace investigation services. They had received an anonymous email alleging that a manager was “acting inappropriately towards women, that employees in the department were feeling uncomfortable but were too scared to speak up.” The client was deeply concerned but they weren’t sure how to proceed, given that the complaint was lacking in specific details. On its own, there wasn’t enough specific information to trigger an investigation because a) the complainant was not known and b) the respondent was not named.
That said, the employer was committed to taking action to address the allegations. But they weren’t sure what the right next step was. So, I suggested that we conduct (cue anticipatory music) a Workplace Assessment.
What is a Workplace Assessment?
It’s a process where you seek to understand any underlying issues or concerns that are bubbling under the surface and that are impacting psychological safety, productivity and employee happiness at work.
A workplace assessment can unearth issues related to culture, behaviours, leadership and productivity in the workplace. It can shine a light on how effectively the organization is operating and can identify key areas for improvement. The process often involves identifying the root cause of conflicts in the workplace.
A workplace assessment is essentially a health or temperature check 🌡 for your organization.
They typically involve a review of relevant policies and documents (i.e. exit interviews, employee engagement survey data, past investigation reports, etc.) and a process for gathering information from employees, managers and leaders and other relevant stakeholders through the use of surveys, one-on-one interviews, focus groups, etc.
When should you conduct a Workplace Assessment?
A workplace assessment typically stems from anonymous complaints or general concerns raised by employee(s) or overheard through the office grapevine.
Some examples of situations that have triggered a workplace assessment in my own practice include:
departments or work groups with high levels of absenteeism
low morale, high turnover or signs of employee unhappiness
dysfunctional departments or work groups
toxic work environment or culture (in a specific department or organization-wide)
rumours that management or leadership are seen as unapproachable and | or disrespectful
departments or work groups that are in transition (and where stress levels are high)
Why should you conduct a Workplace Assessment?
While there’s no specific statutory or legal requirement to conduct a workplace assessment, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t conduct one. It’s the difference between doing the “right thing” vs. the “easy thing” (ignoring it, and hoping the situation will magically resolve itself on its own).
One of the most significant obligations that an employer has is to provide employees with a healthy and safe work environment.
So, if you suspect that something is “rotten in the state of Denmark”, pay close attention to that.
If your intuition is telling you that something feels off, listen to that voice in your head or that feeling in the pit of your stomach.
My advice would be to take action and conduct a workplace assessment.
Best case scenario? You’re wrong, everything is fine and your employees know that you care enough to check in and find out how things are.
Worst case scenario? You’re right, shit’s a-brewing and your employees know that you care enough to check in, find out how things are and are committed to making changes to improve the situation.
Either way, you are doing the work to build, maintain and support a workplace culture rooted in values, respect, equity and psychological safety.
Who should conduct a Workplace Assessment
I hate to say it, but “it depends”. If you suspect that there are issues in a particular work group and internal HR is trained in conducting workplace assessments and is seen as fair, neutral and unbiased, then I say go for it.
If the issues are more organization-wide, and the assessment will involve all employees and managers, or there is a lack of trust or psychological safety, I would recommend using an independent third party to conduct the workplace assessment. Doing so can help to foster participants’ trust and confidence in the process.
A neutral third party doesn’t have pre-existing relationships or perceived biases, they aren’t influenced by the same interests and agendas, and they don’t have the same stake in the outcome of an assessment as an internal assessor may have (or be perceived to have). As well, an independent assessor can more easily maintain confidentiality.
What is the outcome of a Workplace Assessment?
The assessor will share a report that summarizes the purpose of the workplace assessment, the process they undertook, and the key themes that surfaced through the process. The report may also contain conclusions about what’s happening, why it’s happening and recommendations to address these issues.
During the workplace assessment process, if specific information or allegations come to light that would warrant a workplace investigation into the matter, a workplace assessment can lead to a workplace investigation.
But I know you’re wondering… so, what happened with that client? What did the assessment reveal?
In this case, through the process of conducting one-on-one interviews, a few employees disclosed to me that their manager made them feel uncomfortable. They provided me with specific details related to their manager’s alleged inappropriate treatment of women and the client asked me to immediately initiate a workplace investigation into these allegations, demonstrating a total commitment to their company values and to doing the “right thing”.
June 15, 2021
Saira Gangji is an independent licensed Workplace Investigator at hrology in Calgary, AB. She investigates allegations of discrimination and human rights, harassment, violence and misconduct in the workplace. For more information about hrology and our process, see the work with me page.