What do you do if your client ignores your investigative findings? Let’s say for example, you determine that a manager discriminated against people. And in response, the client promotes that discriminator. Instead of firing the manager, they promote them. So they disregarded your investigative findings. You, as an investigator, have to put your blinders on, stay in your lane, take a deep breath, and acknowledge that you did your part. And that’s all you can do with that. Businesses take risks every day and if you adequately prepared them to take the risk of promoting a discriminator, that is all you can do. And it’s hard.
Sometimes we never find out what happens with our investigations.
When people make decisions that are inconsistent with the findings, it is just so hard to remember that you are doing what you’re supposed to be doing. You’re doing the good work. And it’s not up to you to ensure that the client makes the right decisions. That is a calculated business risk that considers more than investigative determinations. That’s outside the scope of being a neutral third-party investigator.
