When serious issues arise in the workplace, such as bullying, harassment, misconduct, or inappropriate behaviour, how they’re handled can have a lasting impact on your people, culture, and reputation.
As one of New Zealand’s leading providers of independent workplace investigations, Intepeople supports organisations nationwide to manage these situations with fairness, care, and confidence.
Our licensed professionals bring deep expertise, discretion, and a strong grounding in natural justice to every investigation. We work alongside HR teams, Boards, and leaders to help uncover the facts, manage risk, and support better decision-making.
We are recognised specialists in independent workplace investigations across Aotearoa, with experience spanning public, private, and not-for-profit sectors.
Our investigators are PSPLA-licensed and certified through the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI), ensuring your process is both compliant and credible.
As external experts, we provide an impartial view which is essential for high-stakes or complex matters involving internal relationships or senior leaders.
No two cases are the same. We shape our process to reflect the specific needs, risks, and dynamics of your organisation.
Workplace investigations and New Zealand employment law
Strategies to minimise bias and ensure neutrality
Building rapport and psychological safety during interviews
Advanced questioning and interview techniques
Maintaining confidentiality and privacy at all stages
Collecting and evaluating evidence, including assessing credibility where required
Clear, structured, and defensible investigation report writing
Addressing ethical challenges and procedural fairness
Our workplace investigation process begins with a high-level briefing to determine the scope of the investigation and agree on the approach and timeline. Confidentiality and natural justice principles are at the heart of everything we do.
The role of our independent investigator is to gather and assess the facts. Depending on the situation, this may include face-to-face interviews, a review of relevant documentation and policies, and the consideration of any other supporting evidence. Where witness accounts conflict, we make credibility assessments based on fairness and consistency.
The process concludes with a confidential employment investigation report outlining our findings, observations, and the supporting evidence. Where agreed, we can also provide recommendations, although we are typically not involved in any subsequent internal processes, such as disciplinary meetings.
Melisa is a registered industrial psychologist and shareholder at Intepeople. With extensive experience across sectors such as ports, dairy, banking, and retail, she brings a strategic and people-focused approach to complex workplace issues.
Marianne is one of New Zealand’s most experienced employment relations practitioners, with over 20 years in the field. She is a licensed private investigator and holds a certificate from the Association of Workplace Investigators. Marianne is known for her calm, practical approach to resolving serious employment matters.
Emily has a background in employment law and significant experience in employment relations, including a senior ER role at Fonterra. She specializes in conducting fact-based investigations into serious workplace issues, such as bullying and harassment, and is recognized for her pragmatic and balanced approach.
