What 21 Years in CIB Actually Changes About a Workplace Investigation

People sometimes ask what a career in criminal investigation has to do with workplace matters. Quite a lot, as it turns out - not because workplace investigations are criminal in nature, but because the discipline behind a properly run investigation doesn't really change with the setting. 

Following the evidence, not the assumption 

In CIB, you learn early that the obvious answer isn't always the right one, and that jumping to a conclusion - even a reasonable-sounding one - is how investigations go wrong. That same discipline applies directly to a workplace matter: gather the evidence first, form the view second, not the other way around. 

Interviewing is a skill, not a formality 

I completed my Specialist Interview qualification through NZ Police in 2007, and it fundamentally changed how I approach every interview since - structured, open, and built to get an accurate account rather than a quick one. That's the same standard I bring to a workplace interview, whether it's with a complainant, a witness, or the person facing the complaint. 

Knowing where the line actually sits 

Not every serious workplace matter stays a workplace matter. Part of what 21 years in CIB brings is a clear sense of when something has moved into territory where Police involvement should genuinely be considered - and being able to say so plainly, rather than guessing. You can read more about my background on the About Steve page. 

What it means for the outcome 

A workplace investigation doesn't need to feel like a criminal one. But it should be held to a similar standard of rigour - a process that would hold up if it were ever questioned. That's the standard I run every investigation to, and it's set out in more detail on the Workplace Investigations Process page. 

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• How is a workplace investigation different from a police investigation?

  A workplace investigation deals with employment matters and internal findings rather than criminal charges, but a properly run one still follows the same core discipline - gathering evidence carefully, interviewing fairly, and reaching a conclusion the evidence actually supports. 

• Does a workplace investigator need police experience?

  Not necessarily, but formal investigative and interview training makes a genuine difference to the quality and defensibility of the outcome. 

• When might Police need to be involved in a workplace matter?

  When the allegations could amount to a criminal matter - serious assault or theft, for example. Karapiti can advise when that's likely to be the case.