Discipline is undertaken after the completion of an investigation, so the investigation lies at the heart of any subsequent disciplinary actions. Its importance in this process cannot be understated. Given this knowledge, address the following in this modules discussion question:

Describe the typical process a human resources professional follows when conducting an investigation, including the most critical stage of the investigation.

Once the investigation is complete, discuss 3-4 factors that should be considered by a human resources professional (for instance, an employees length of service in the organization) in determining the level of discipline that should be considered and why.