— FREE GUIDE FOR HR & LEGAL LEADERS
When a Complaint Lands on Your Desk,
What Happens Next?
Most workplace investigations are preventable. The ones that aren't should be handled with structure, fairness, and confidence. This guide helps you do both.
Investigations Don’t Appear
Out of Nowhere.
— WHY THIS MATTERS
Most complaints are the visible result of systemic gaps — unclear policies, undertrained managers, and cultures where concerns go unspoken until they can't anymore.
By the time an allegation is made, the cost is already real: disruption, legal exposure, and damage to the trust your team has in leadership.
The good news? Most of it is preventable. And when it isn't, how you respond in the first 48 hours determines almost everything that follows.
48 hours
How quickly you respond sets the tone for participants, organizational credibility, and legal risk.
5 Policies
Core policies every organization should audit annually to prevent investigations before they start.
1 Practical Guide
Everything you need to move from reactive to proactive — prevention, response, and when to call for help.
Five Sections.
Practical and Immediately Useful.
— INSIDE THE GUIDE
Designed for HR directors, legal counsel and executives who need simplified clarity.
01.
Why Most Investigations Happen — and How to Get Ahead of Them.
The root causes behind most workplace complaints, and the organizational habits that prevent them.
02.
Five Policies Every Employer Should Review Annually
A practical diagnostic checklist to keep your policies current, consistent, and enforceable.
03.
How to Build a Culture of Reporting and Resolution
What it actually takes to build psychological safety — and why speak-up cultures protect organizations, not just employees.
04.
What to Do When an Allegation Is Made
A clear, step-by-step response framework for the critical first 48 hours.
05.
When to Call in an External Investigator
A checklist to help you assess when internal handling creates risk — and what to look for in an external partner.
— ABOUT GOODWIN INVESTIGATIONS
Built by Investigators.
Designed for People.
Goodwin is a technology-enabled, human-centered workplace investigation firm serving organizations across Alberta. We deliver clear, fair, and defensible investigations on fixed-fee terms. Our process is guided by structure, supported by tools, and grounded in the professional judgment of experienced investigators.
We believe technology should enhance human insight - not replace it. That’s why we’re building a better model for investigations: one that respects participants, supports clients, and protects organizational culture with clarity and care.
Process First. Technology Second. Human Judgement Always.
Timely Resolution
Our structured process removes friction and reduces administrative delays—without cutting corners.
Fee Certainty
Fixed pricing based on scope. Know your costs before you start—no hourly billing anxiety, no surprises.
Exceptional Experience
Structured and thoughtful methodology, and led by experienced professionals.
Defensible Results
Every investigation follows a consistent, documented process designed to withstand scrutiny.
— FREE DOWNLOAD
GOODWIN INVESTIGATIONS
Alberta-based. Canada-focused. Process-first. People-centered.
info@goodwininvestigations.ca