The global expansion of the pandemic affects the normal development of internal investigations, as well as training and corporate internal protocols and policies.
Internal investigations: An inability to carry out interviews is one of the main difficulties that companies conducting internal investigations are currently facing. Most of the interviewers prefer in-person interviews with the individuals involved in the investigation (e.g., suspected individuals, witnesses, collaborators, whistleblowers) because they facilitate dialogue, favor the participants’ attention and enable the interviewer to appreciate the interviewees’ body language. However, in exceptional occasions like the COVID-19 crisis, delaying the investigations may cause major inconveniences worse than conducting the interviews through electronic means, such as videoconferences. This alternative aims to avoid the interruption of internal investigations and any negative consequences that may be triggered by the interruption or delay of the investigations.
Training: Videoconferences may be useful to replace in-person training. This tool may turn out to be particularly beneficial to implement or enhance online trainings, therefore causing minor impact on the company’s activities. Moreover, in the cases where the global situation has triggered a reduction in the corporate workflow, videoconference or online trainings may become an excellent tool to take advantage of the employees’ available time and fulfil the trainings that the company has established.
Internal protocols and policies: Considering the global scenario, companies are also establishing control measures to comply with the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the different governments’ restrictions. In this context, it is particularly useful for companies to develop internal protocols and policies related to coronavirus. Additionally, these protocols and policies may increase employees’ awareness of the corporate measures taken to fight risk of infection and allow them to act in compliance with the values established in the company’s compliance program.
Today, in the context of this crisis, the use of videoconferencing for training and internal investigations as well as the implementation of internal protocols and policies related to coronavirus has become a common scenario in companies.
This insight is a brief comment on legal news in Argentina; it does not purport to be an exhaustive analysis or to provide legal advice.