When an Employee Walks Into the IC Room: What Should an IC Member Be Mindful Of?

When an Employee Walks Into the IC Room:

What Should an IC Member Be Mindful Of?

A PoSH complaint is not just a case file. It is a person walking into the room with a story that may be difficult, uncomfortable and deeply personal to share.

For an Internal Committee (IC) member, the first meeting with the complainant can set the tone for the entire inquiry.

The IC has two responsibilities that must exist together: empathy and neutrality.

You need to create a space where the complainant feels heard and respected—without becoming an advocate for either party. You need to ask questions—without making the person feel interrogated. You need to understand the allegations—without jumping to conclusions.

So, what should IC members keep in mind?

1. PAUSE — Slow down.

Don’t rush into questions the moment the meeting begins.

A complainant may be anxious, nervous, angry, confused or even unsure about how much they want to share.

Take a moment to establish a calm environment.

A simple:

“Please take your time. We are here to understand what happened.”

The objective is not to finish the meeting quickly. It is to understand the complaint properly.

2. LISTEN — Before you investigate, listen.

One of the biggest mistakes an IC member can make is listening only to formulate the next question.

Listen to understand.

Don’t interrupt unnecessarily. Don’t complete the complainant’s sentences. Don’t react with shock, disbelief or judgment.

Avoid statements such as:

• “Are you sure that is what happened?”
• “Why didn’t you report it earlier?”
• “Why did you continue speaking to him/her?”
• “You should have told your manager immediately.”

These questions may sometimes have legitimate relevance during an inquiry, but how and when they are asked matters enormously.

A question seeking clarification should not sound like an accusation.

3. BE NEUTRAL — Empathy does not mean taking sides.

This is perhaps the most important distinction for an IC member.

You can say:

“I understand that this must have been difficult for you.”

But avoid:

“Don’t worry. We will make sure the person is punished.”

The first demonstrates empathy.

The second compromises neutrality and creates an expectation about the outcome.

The IC is not the complainant’s lawyer, counsellor or advocate.

The IC’s role is to conduct a fair inquiry, hear all relevant parties, examine evidence and arrive at findings based on the material before it.

Be humane. Be fair. Be neutral.

4. CLARIFY — Ask, don’t interrogate.

The IC will need details.

What happened? When did it happen? Where did it happen? Who was present? What was said or done?

Are there messages, emails, recordings or other relevant documents?

But the manner of questioning matters.

Prefer open-ended and non-leading questions.

Instead of:

“He touched you deliberately, didn’t he?”

Ask:

“Can you tell us what happened when he approached you?”

Instead of:

“You were uncomfortable, correct?”

Ask:

“How did you feel about the interaction at that time?”

The objective is to allow the complainant to describe their experience in their own words.

5. PROTECT — Confidentiality is not optional.

A PoSH inquiry involves sensitive information.

The complainant may have shared details that they have never discussed with colleagues, friends or even family.

IC members must therefore be extremely careful about who is told what.

Avoid discussing the complaint casually:

• in the cafeteria
• on WhatsApp groups
• with colleagues
• with managers who are not part of the process
• or even among IC members outside the appropriate inquiry context

Curiosity is not a legitimate reason to access confidential information.

Need-to-know should guide your conversations.

And confidentiality also protects the respondent, witnesses and the integrity of the inquiry.

6. DOCUMENT — Facts, not interpretations.

Good documentation can make or break an inquiry.

Record what was actually stated.

Distinguish between:

“The complainant stated…”

and

“The complainant appeared to be exaggerating…”

The first is a record of what happened in the meeting. The second is an interpretation.

IC members should be particularly careful about allowing personal perceptions, assumptions or biases to enter the record.

Document relevant facts accurately and contemporaneously.

Because months later, when the IC is reviewing evidence and preparing its findings, the quality of the documentation becomes extremely important.

The IC Room Should Feel Safe — But Not Biased

There is a delicate balance that every IC member must learn.

The complainant should feel:

“I was heard.”

The respondent should feel:

“I was treated fairly.”

And at the end of the inquiry, the organisation should be able to say:

“The IC followed a fair and objective process.”

That is what a mature Internal Committee looks like.

The Six Reminders for Every IC Member

• PAUSE. Create a calm environment.
• LISTEN. Hear before you analyse.
• BE NEUTRAL. Empathise without taking sides.
• CLARIFY. Ask relevant, open and non-leading questions.
• PROTECT. Respect confidentiality and dignity.
• DOCUMENT. Record facts accurately, not assumptions.

Because when someone walks into the IC room with a complaint, they are not merely bringing a case file. They are bringing an experience that may have taken considerable courage to speak about.

And how the IC receives that person matters.

A good IC does not just conduct an inquiry. It creates a process in which fairness and human dignity can coexist.