Undercover Workplace Investigations: Offerings for Employers

An undercover workplace investigation is a valuable tool that can produce important insight into an employer’s workforce. When conducted by a private and third-party investigation company, corporations can get to the bottom of internal losses, fraud, and time theft that tend to be hidden from a company’s own internal HR investigation. When done correctly, covert workplace investigations are far more effective than traditional HR investigations, helping senior leaders make informed decisions about their workforce and weed out those who are working against their best interests.

Undercover workplace investigations call for the expertise of a private investigation company that is highly educated about the privacy laws in your location. When these investigations are conducted on behalf of the corporation itself, they run the risk of violating privacy laws and compromising the results of an investigation. 

Undercover Workplace Investigations: Answers to Common Questions

Find answers to some of the most common questions regarding undercover workplace investigation services available to North American employers.

What Happens During an Undercover Workplace Investigation?

When a company is concerned about theft or crime within their workforce, they can enlist a private investigation firm such as AFIMAC to place an investigator directly within their workforce. This investigator will conduct normal tasks alongside existing staff and appear as a traditional worker. They will, however, gather intelligence about your workplace and employees and take notes about their experience. The undercover employee will have no prior relationships with your staff, giving them the ability to collect unbiased information that can be passed along to managers and executives.

What is the Difference Between an HR Investigation and an Undercover Investigation?

Traditional HR investigations include gathering general information about a workplace or an employer’s concern and often require the cooperation of the workforce itself. Independent HR investigations call for a third-party HR specialist to interview workers individually, gathering intelligence based on these interviews and other information available to the employer.

Undercover workplace investigations do not require the cooperation of the staff and can be conducted discreetly without their knowledge. Investigators are often placed directly within the workforce and gather information based on their observations and interactions with existing staff. 

What Does an Undercover Investigation Reveal?

The results of an investigation could reveal issues of time theft, insurance benefits fraud, or complex and organized efforts being conducted by your staff to steal from the company. Investigations can also reveal safety violations, issues of harassment, complications tied to management, or even problems of drug and alcohol abuse. Ultimately, with the results of an undercover investigation, employers can make adjustments to their workforce with credible evidence that can act as grounds for termination.

Why Would an Employer Conduct an Undercover Workplace Investigation?

Employers may consider an undercover workplace investigation when there are suspicions of worker negligence, organized efforts of internal theft, or their previous attempts to conduct a workplace investigation were met with refusal from staff. 

Do Staff Know When They Are Under Investigation?

No. Staff are not informed of an ongoing undercover workplace investigation. Intelligence is gathered based on the observations of the investigator.

Are Undercover Workplace Investigations Legal?

Yes. Private investigators enlisted on behalf of AFIMAC are conducted with all North American privacy laws in mind. Investigators only collect evidence from their experience working on your job site and never collect private or personal information about your staff.

How Do Privacy Laws Impact an Undercover Investigation?

The fine details of privacy laws for each province or state will be considered before an undercover investigation occurs. AFIMAC has specialized in these matters for decades, capable of navigating the sometimes complex privacy laws that could limit an investigation. Oftentimes, AFIMAC leans on simple yet effective techniques for the collection of information, avoiding conflicts with local and federal privacy laws.

Undercover Workplace Investigations Provided by AFIMAC Global

Contact us today to learn more about our suite of workplace investigation offerings tailored to the needs of employers. Logistics, manufacturing, and industrial industries can learn incredible details of the habits of their workplace with a proper undercover workplace investigation. Deter fraud, theft, and misconduct while gathering information that can support your HR decisions and withstand legal claims of wrongful termination. Consider securing your supply chain with a suite of screening, due diligence, and background check services available to employers in North America.

Manage losses and get to the bottom of suspicions of theft and fraud. Fill out the form below to learn more about your options.

Updated January 29th, 2024: AFIMAC continues to provide world-class private investigation services to employers concerned about theft, non-compliance, or misconduct on their job site. Get to the bottom of your suspicions and actively prevent fraud from occurring on your job site. We continue to serve well-known employers in the logistics, warehouse, shipping, receiving, and supply chain industries, but also can serve employers across every industry. Gain valuable information collected by a qualified third party, free from internal bias.

We serve the entirety of North America; fill out the form below to learn more. Contact us today.

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