Policies, contracts, letters, guidance and HR support tools for UK employers.
View full libraryAn Investigation Report is used to record the findings of a workplace investigation into an employee concern, complaint, alleged misconduct, grievance or other workplace issue. It provides a structured record of the allegations, evidence considered, interviews undertaken and findings reached, helping the decision-maker determine what action, if any, should follow.
Use this template to:
If you are managing a workplace investigation, the toolkit brings together practical HR templates covering planning, evidence gathering, witness meetings, findings and next steps.
This template brings together the key information, sections and considerations you need to create a clear, comprehensive and professional HR document. Preview the document below.
Confidential
Employee: [Employee Name]
Job Title: [Job Title]
Department: [Department]
Investigator: [Name and Job Title]
Date investigation commenced: [Date]
Date report completed: [Date]
Reference: [Reference Number, if applicable]
1. Purpose of the investigation
This investigation was undertaken following [a complaint / grievance / allegation / concern] raised on [date] regarding [brief description of the matter].
The purpose of the investigation was to establish the facts and determine, based on the available evidence, whether there is sufficient evidence to support the allegations or concerns identified below.
The investigation is a fact-finding process. It is not intended to determine any disciplinary sanction or other outcome.
2. Scope of the investigation
The investigation considered the following allegations / issues:
The investigation was limited to the matters identified above unless additional relevant information arose during the investigation.
3. Background
[Provide a concise and factual summary of the circumstances leading to the investigation, including relevant dates, events and previous discussions where appropriate.]
4. Investigation process
The following steps were undertaken as part of the investigation:
The employee was given an opportunity to respond to the allegations and provide any information or evidence
You've seen 30% of how the Investigation report form template is structured. Get the complete editable template instantly and customise it for your organisation.
A workplace investigation should establish the facts before an employer decides what action, if any, is appropriate. This Investigation Report provides a structured record of the investigation, from the original allegations and scope through to the evidence considered, employee and witness accounts, findings and recommended next steps.
The report starts by identifying the allegations or issues being investigated and the scope of the investigation. This helps prevent the process from becoming unnecessarily broad and provides a clear reference point when assessing the evidence.
The template provides space to record meetings, witnesses, documents, electronic records and other evidence considered. Keeping this information together creates a useful audit trail and makes it easier for another manager or HR professional to understand how the investigation was conducted.
Workplace investigations frequently involve different versions of events. The findings section encourages the investigator to consider the evidence, the employee's response and any conflicting information before explaining the reasoning behind each finding.
An investigation report should establish the facts rather than predetermine a disciplinary sanction. The template therefore separates the investigator's findings from any subsequent decision about disciplinary or other action.
A well-prepared investigation report provides a clear record of what was considered, what could and could not be established and why particular findings were reached. This can be particularly valuable where the investigation leads to a formal disciplinary, grievance or other employment process.
Related HR resources and workflow
Explore the HR resources that may be relevant before and / or after using the Investigation report form, helping you understand the wider process, maintain appropriate documentation and follow a consistent approach.
Efficiently conduct investigations with our structured meeting script, promoting fairness, consistency, and thoroughness in gathering evidence
.
A formal grievance hearing invitation letter for inviting an employee to a meeting to discuss a grievance they have raised, explain the issues to be considered and give them an opportunity to present their case and supporting evidence.
Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Investigation report form should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.
Understand the common mistakes to avoid when using this HR template, helping you reduce risk, prevent unnecessary costs and ensure the process is handled correctly.
An investigation report is a formal record of a workplace investigation. It normally explains what was investigated, the evidence considered, the people interviewed, the employee's response, the findings reached and any recommended next steps.
Not necessarily. The appropriate level of documentation will depend on the circumstances and the employer's procedures. A formal report is particularly useful for more serious or complex matters and where the investigation may lead to formal disciplinary or grievance proceedings.
The investigator should generally focus on establishing the facts and recording findings rather than deciding the disciplinary sanction. Any subsequent disciplinary decision should be made by the appropriate decision-maker after giving the employee an opportunity to respond.
Employment disciplinary decisions are generally based on whether the employer has a reasonable belief in the facts following a reasonable investigation. The investigator should therefore assess the available evidence objectively rather than attempting to establish matters to the criminal standard of proof.
Potentially. The report may contain personal information relating to the employee or other individuals, and disclosure will depend on the circumstances, the purpose for which the information is being used and applicable data protection requirements. Employers should consider carefully what information needs to be shared as part of the relevant process.
HRDocBox combines deep HR knowledge, practical application and experience of real workplace situations. This template helps employers structure investigations around the allegations, evidence, employee response and findings without confusing the fact-finding process with the subsequent disciplinary or grievance decision.
We found it particularly useful when several people needed to complete the same process. The prompts helped us capture the information we actually needed. It gave us a cleaner record of what had been discussed or checked.
How this content is developed and reviewed
The Investigation report form template is developed using a practical HR methodology that considers current UK employment legislation, ACAS guidance, CIPD good practice and the real-world HR process it supports. Templates and supporting information are regularly reviewed and updated, with additional reviews triggered by significant changes to legislation, guidance or established HR practice, helping ensure each document remains practical, relevant and suitable for UK employers.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing investigation HR processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
HRDocBox has been creating practical UK HR documents since 2009.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
Whether you employ 5 people or 50, hrdocbox gives you the structure, documents and expertise needed to manage employees professionally and legally.
Professionally written and fully compliant with UK employment law
Access a free contract template instantly - or save 10% on any document today.
Use this code at checkout for 10% off anything!
Includes instant download, updates, and full access to your HR templates.
