Hearing Manager Guidance in Workplace Investigations
13:30 - 17:00
7th July 2026
Aubrey Park Hotel, St Albans, UK
Hearing Manager Guidance in Workplace Investigations Training
Course Overview
Join our industry leading experts for a half-day Hearing Manager training workshop in St Albans, UK
When? 7th July 2026, 13:30 - 17:00
Where? Aubrey Park Hotel, Hemel Hempstead Road, Redbourn, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 7AF
Acting as a hearing manager carries significant responsibility. Many people asked to chair disciplinary, grievance, or appeal hearings are experienced leaders or managers, yet still find the role unfamiliar, exposed, or difficult to navigate with confidence.
This practical half-day course is designed to support managers and decision-makers who are required to chair hearings and make outcomes that are fair, reasoned, and defensible. The focus is not on how to investigate, but on how to make sound decisions once an investigation has concluded.
The course provides clear guidance on the hearing manager role, decision-making responsibilities, and how to approach hearings in a way that is procedurally fair, proportionate, and capable of standing up to scrutiny.
“Detailed and practical - a rare concoction from my experience of corporate training. It provided equal levels of real life examples, with theoretical exercises that could genuinely support my work in the future. Would highly recommend to anyone working in corporate investigations.”
What you’ll learn
This course provides clear, practical guidance on the hearing manager role, using realistic examples and common challenges faced in disciplinary, grievance, and appeal hearings.
Learning outcomes include (click to expand):
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The purpose of a hearing and the hearing manager’s responsibilities
Understanding the boundary between investigator and decision-maker
What independence and objectivity look like in practice
Managing the hearing process confidently and professionally
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How to read and assess investigation reports critically
Understanding evidence, findings, and limitations
Identifying gaps, ambiguities, or areas requiring clarification
Knowing when and how to ask further questions
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Asking appropriate, effective questions during hearings
Managing procedural fairness and reasonable adjustments
Handling challenging dynamics and sensitive issues
Maintaining control of the process without overstepping the role
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Reaching outcomes that are balanced, proportionate, and evidence-based
Understanding the importance of clear reasoning, not just outcomes
Documenting decisions clearly and defensibly
Avoiding common mistakes that increase organisational risk
Why this matters
Hearing managers are often surprised to learn that, in the event of an employment tribunal, it is typically their decision and reasoning that comes under scrutiny, rather than HR’s advice.
This course helps participants understand:
How tribunals assess the reasonableness of decisions
Why clear rationale matters as much as the decision itself
The importance of process, consistency, and evidence
How poorly structured hearings or unclear decisions can undermine otherwise sound cases
What good documentation looks like when decisions are challenged months or years later
The aim is to reduce both personal and organisational risk by ensuring decisions are fair, transparent, and capable of standing up to external scrutiny.
Who should attend
This course is suitable for:
Managers asked to act as disciplinary, grievance, or appeal hearing managers
Senior leaders and directors involved in complex people decisions
HR professionals who support hearing managers and want a shared understanding of roles and responsibilities
Anyone who wants confidence that they are approaching hearings correctly and consistently
No prior legal or investigation training is required.
“I would highly recommend this to anyone, regardless of experience as I have come away from this course a much more confident individual within my new role”
Why choose this course?
Role clarity: Clear guidance on what hearing managers are responsible for, and what they are not
Practical focus: Based on real cases and practical discussion
Risk-aware: Designed to reduce challenge and exposure in contentious cases
Efficient format: A focused half-day session that respects busy schedules
Meet your facilitators
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is a globally recognised investigation specialist with a career spanning two decades in high-profile roles. He began his career as a Detective with the Metropolitan Police, where he specialised in internal corruption investigations and led sensitive operations.
He later transitioned to the global aid sector, joining Oxfam as an Anti-Corruption Specialist, where he investigated corruption, abuse, and exploitation across 30+ countries, including Asia, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. He also trained over 100 regional investigators in countries such as Thailand, Serbia, and Lebanon, adapting his approach to complex legal landscapes.
As Head of Integrity at Transparency International in Berlin, he redesigned the organisation’s integrity framework, strengthening its ethical standards.
Appointed as the BBC’s first Head of Whistleblowing in 2021, William led global whistleblowing investigations and policy reforms.
In 2024, he founded EthicsVision International, providing expert training and consultancy for high-integrity investigations.
With a Master’s in International Criminal Justice and specialist training from the Institute for International Criminal Investigations, William brings deep expertise and practical insight to his work.
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is a highly respected investigations professional with a strong foundation in both law enforcement and corporate integrity.
She served as a Detective within the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Directorate, before becoming a Detective Sergeant on proactive and reactive operations. She gained invaluable experience in safeguarding, complex investigations, and anonymous witness protocols.
She later transitioned into the corporate world, leading the investigations function for a FTSE 100 luxury brand, where she oversaw the company’s Speak Up program, provided key data insights, and regularly reported to senior leadership on investigation outcomes and trends.
In addition to her role in corporate investigations, Kate has rolled out global training initiatives that reinforced compliance standards and organisational values.
She is the founder of Mast People Support, a consultancy that builds respectful workplace cultures, and previously served as the Director of Training for the Association of Corporate Investigators.
With an associate membership in the CIPD and extensive expertise in corporate and HR investigations, Kate is passionate about advancing best practices and sharing her insights with professionals across sectors.
Venue
We are excited to be hosting this course at the Aubrey Park Hotel
Address: Hemel Hempstead Road, Redbourn, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 7AF
Please note that accommodation at the hotel is not covered in the course costs. Participants requiring accommodation will need to arrange this separately.
Course fees
The full course cost is £250.
For this course, we are happy to offer a 15% discount on group bookings of 2 or more participants.
Course cost includes:
Half-day, in-person training
All course materials
Refreshments
Certificate of attendance
Payment can be made via bank transfer (with invoice) or debit/credit card. See below for booking information.
Book your space today
Course spaces can be booked online with a credit or debit card via the payment link below.
If you have any questions about the course, or would like to discuss alternative payment options (such as via bank transfer) please use the form below, or email us at info@ethicsvision.co.uk.