Employee discipline forms an important aspect in any organization. Whenever misconduct or disciplinary cases occur within an organization it is vital to conduct disciplinary investigation in order to obtain the necessary facts of the case. The essay therefore explores the importance of conducting disciplinary investigations within an organization. Employee discipline is a difficult experience that managers and supervisors encounter in the day to day activities within an organization. Before any disciplinary action is taken against an employee for alleged breach investigations should be conducted. The major purposes of conducting an investigation include establishing the rules or regulations that are purported to have been breached by the employee.
Investigations aim at obtaining evident that will be relevant to the allegations being made.
The evidence may be in form of facts surrounding the alleged breach of the rules or regulations. The facts may be obtained from witnesses that are involved in the occurrences of the breach of the organization’s rules and regulations (Alexander, 2000).
Another main purpose of conducting disciplinary investigations in regards to employees in an organization is to obtain the employees version of the events concerning the alleged breach. This will encompass the reasons for the misconduct if the case is not

disputed by an employee. While obtaining employee version of the facts the employee should be made aware of the allegations that are being leveled against them and the source of evidence if any that the organization relies on (Colaprete, 2007).
Within large organizations that has several departments the responsibility of conducting a disciplinary investigation in a particular department within the organization.
Within these organizations the immediate employee’s manager may engage an investigatory manager who is perceived as not being directly involved with the case in order to investigate the particulars of the case. In many cases a member of the human reason team may be considered to offer assistance so as to ensure that the matter is handled impartially, rationally and in agreement with the current legislation of the organization (Alexander, 2000).
In other cases, the direct manager may act as an investigation officer in regards to the employee misconduct. The direct manager may be required to conduct disciplinary investigations in situations where the cases are generally straightforward or fall within the jurisdiction of the direct manager. In such cases the direct manger is believed to be in a better placed position to conduct such disciplinary investigations on employees that he directly supervises
In general terms a complaint can be defined as an official written accusation that is usually signed by the complainant or a manager receiving a verbal grievance while declaring the complainant accusations. The types of complaints that should be investigated are those that may warrant a negative image of the organization and an eventual loss of trust form its customers and clients. These are complaints that are

considered as being serious and a violation to the organization’s code of conducts and rules and regulations that govern employees within a particular organization (Cushway,
2012).
These complaints may range from general and gross misconduct. These complaints should be investigated as soon as they occur or whenever they are reported.
The complainants may be reported by clients of an organization in form of a manger of another company or the direct managers may be in a position to point out such misconduct whenever they occur. The complaints should be investigated as soon as possible in order to avoid losing evidence in the cases. It is also important for such complaints to be addressed earlier so as to determine the next course of action that an organization may undertake (Colaprete, 2007).
Investigatory interviews form part of the process that is engaged in establishing if a disciplinary action should be taken against an employee or not. It is therefore important that as part of the investigations the employee whom allegations of misconduct have been made against be required to attend an investigatory interview. In an investigatory interview an employee is obligated to notify the investigating manager of any facts that an employee views as being relevant to the case being investigated. In cases where an employee has witnesses the witnesses may also be called upon and interviewed. There are several outcomes of the investigation process for instance the employee may be found guilty of the allegation, the matter may be solved in an informal manner for instance through training or recommendations that the case goes through a disciplinary hearing
(Cushway, 2012).

Conclusion
Finally, the disciplinary investigations form a crucial aspect in employee discipline within an organization. It is through disciplinary investigations that facts may be obtained and therefore the eventual disciplinary action meted on the concerned employee. References
Alexander, M. (2000). Employee performance and discipline problems: a new approach.
IRC

Press.

Colaprete A. (2007). Internal Investigation: A Practitioner's Approach. Charles C Thomas
Publisher.
Cushway, B. (2012). The Employer's Handbook 2012-13: An Essential Guide to
Employment Law, Personnel Policies and Procedures. Kogan Page Publishers.