Once you have acknowledged the concern, it’s important to move forward with as impartial an investigation as possible, as soon as possible, in order to gather facts and evidence related to the grievance. This may be a short process—reviewing an internal video record, for example—or it may be longer and involve interviews, document reviews, and other fact-finding activities. It is important to ensure that all parties to the incident are heard, in order to establish fairness and impartiality, and to restore the community to relative harmony. This includes the complainant(s), the person(s) being complained about, and any bystanders or witnesses. This may be quite formal, or it may be as easy as a conversation or two.

You may choose to involve any of your boards or committees in your investigation at your discretion, so long as it is consistent with your established policies. As discussed, investigations into participant grievances will vary wildly based on the gravity of the accusations, so follow the relevant protocol as developed by any governing body(s).

Also, look at the context of concerns: Who are the people involved? What systemic issues, power imbalances, or cultural differences between the parties might impact their interactions? These can help all parties understand the situation, resolve it peaceably, and create a stronger community.