Protect
Before You Talk to HR
It can help to understand the process, what will be recorded, who may be told, and what happens next.
This page is educational information about workplace processes, not legal, HR, or professional advice. Workplace policies and processes vary by employer, location, and industry. For guidance specific to your situation, consider speaking with a qualified professional or union representative.
HR can be an important part of a workplace response. HR may help explain policies, receive a concern, arrange support, guide an investigation, or address behaviour and safety issues.
HR also has responsibilities to the organization. That can include following workplace policy, managing risk, gathering information, protecting confidentiality where possible, and responding to concerns from more than one person.
Before you share something important, it can help to understand the process, what will be recorded, who may be told, and what happens next.
If you're working out what to do before filing an HR complaint, the questions below can help you prepare and protect your options.
Questions you can ask
- 1What policy or process applies to this concern?
- 2Who will receive my report?
- 3Will my concern be documented?
- 4What confidentiality can you offer, and what are the limits?
- 5Who else may be contacted or told?
- 6Is there a formal investigation process?
- 7What protection is available if I'm worried about retaliation?
- 8Can I bring a union representative, support person, or employee representative?
- 9What are the expected timelines?
- 10How will I receive updates?
- 11What happens if the concern involves my manager or someone in HR?
- 12What records should I bring, and what shouldn't I bring?
What may happen after you raise a concern
- Someone may ask for more detail.
- You may be asked for dates, examples, witnesses, and documents.
- The organization may speak with other people.
- The concern may be handled through a formal investigation, informal process, performance process, safety process, or another pathway.
- Confidentiality may have limits if the organization needs to investigate or take action.
- You may not receive every detail about the outcome.
- The process may take time.
- You may want independent support while it unfolds.
You don't need to prepare a perfect case before you ask for help.
But it can help to enter a process with clear facts, a sense of what outcome you're seeking, and support from someone who understands the system.
If you have a union or employee representative, speak with them too. They may be able to explain your collective agreement, attend meetings, support a grievance, or help you understand the internal process.