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Conducting Internal Investigations can feel like a high-stakes game of finding a needle in a haystack — and current world circumstances have set that haystack on fire! Challenges arise due to a lack of formal processes and are impacted to a greater extent in the age of COVID-19 due to remote teams and increased communication silos. Internal investigations are unpredictable and difficult to anticipate. Project scope and costly expenses quickly get out of control. It’s critical to identify challenges and determine how to solve them early so you can operate efficiently and productively – all while mitigating risk. These are the top 3 challenges organizations are facing today and how to overcome them.
1. WFH-induced Disruption
Organizations are in new territory when conducting internal investigations remotely thanks to today’s ever-shifting work environments. Many organizations conduct them in an ad hoc fashion, which is asking for trouble given current circumstances. Not to mention, data is spread across a multitude of remote locations and devices. Those leading the charge are unable to conduct in-person meetings or collect data in the same manner. On top of disrupted processes, operating remotely also poses a security risk. How can organizations proactively plan to respond effectively, minimize spend, and avoid potential risks?
How to Solve it: Administering careful planning, creating clear policies in advance, and developing consistent, formal processes is essential. Each matter should begin with the development of a step-by-step plan based on the type of event and the trigger that started the investigation. Using purpose-built tools that prevent inadvertent data modification or destruction also relieves concerns. An integrated SaaS data discovery platform manages data at every phase of the investigation in a single interface.
2. An Onslaught of Unstructured Data
Increases in electronic communication are resulting in a rise in data volumes. In addition, new data types are ever-evolving. With the constantly changing data landscape, sorting, processing, and reviewing information becomes overwhelming. On top of having disparate workflows, you’ve got mountains of unstructured data thrown into the mix. This makes finding the needle in the data haystack seem near impossible.
How to Solve it: Lean into advanced technology. Take advantage of helpful features and capabilities during data searches. AI and Analytics reduce review time; advanced features provide both incredible accuracy and speed. Cloud-based solutions scale quickly and aptly handle large volumes of data. Let cutting edge technology do the work for you as you navigate the dynamic changes of the data landscape.
3. Inefficient Collaboration Across Departments
Internal investigations typically involve multiple departments and stakeholders. This creates chaos when it comes to defining efficient processes. A big part of successful collaboration within and across departments is accommodating access to data. An increased need for collaboration brings a greater need for essential data to be readily available in a single place for everyone to access. There’s also the added challenge of making sure everyone has secure access from wherever they are. What’s the best way to guarantee that all parties involved in an investigation have access to critical data without accruing costly expenses?
How to Solve it: Consolidating technology solutions makes it easy to streamline processes and reduce overall spend. Keep all your data in one single platform for everyone to access. Using cloud technology makes data accessible to everyone from anywhere, using any device, at any time. If the number of people involved increases, then working with a provider that doesn’t apply user fees drastically decreases unexpected costs.
Many factors go into conducting internal investigations. The entire process runs smoothly when you leverage a legal technology solution that offers features and capabilities developed to support your ever-shifting needs. Here is one instance where a multinational corporation saved hundreds of thousands of dollars during an internal investigation thanks to Advanced Analytics.
