Why remote interviews deserve the same rigour as a face-to-face meeting

Remote investigation interviews have moved from a novelty to a routine part of workplace investigations. They widen access, cut travel time and can be arranged quickly when a matter is sensitive. But convenience should never come at the cost of fairness. A poorly managed video call can leave a witness feeling unheard, a respondent feeling ambushed, or a decision-maker working from a thin and unreliable record.

The good news is that the safeguards are straightforward. With a little preparation, a remote interview can be every bit as robust as one held in a meeting room. The trick is to treat the technology, the environment and the person on the other side of the screen as things you actively manage, not things you hope will work out.

Test the technology before anyone joins

Technical problems during an investigation interview do more than waste time. They disrupt the flow of a difficult conversation and can unsettle someone who is already anxious. Do your testing at least a day in advance, and again shortly before the interview begins.

• Confirm the platform is approved for handling confidential and personal data under your organisation's policies, and that encryption and access controls are switched on.
• Check your own camera, microphone and lighting. Sit where your face is clearly visible and your voice is not competing with background noise.
• Send the participant the joining link, a dial-in number as a backup, and simple written instructions. Ask them to test their setup beforehand.
• Have a contingency plan: a phone number to call if the connection drops, and a colleague on standby to take a note if you lose the link entirely.
• Close other applications and silence notifications on every device in the room.

If you are sharing documents on screen, have them open and ready in a separate window so you are not fumbling while the participant waits.

Confirm identity and set clear ground rules

You need to know who you are speaking to. Ask the participant to state their full name, role and location at the start, and check this against your records. If you do not already know them, ask them to show photo identification on camera. For sensitive matters, consider asking them to confirm a detail only they would know.

Then set the ground rules plainly. Explain the purpose of the interview, that it is not a hearing or a verdict, and that they will have the chance to correct anything they feel has been misrecorded. Confirm who else is present, where they are sitting, and whether anyone can hear the conversation. If they are entitled to be accompanied — for example, in a formal disciplinary or grievance process — remind them of that right and make sure the companion is introduced on the call.

Ask participants to keep their camera on where practical, but be flexible. Some people have genuine reasons for preferring audio only, and refusing outright can undermine trust.

Protect privacy and remove distractions

A remote interview is only private if both ends are private. A participant taking a call from a shared office, a busy kitchen or a car is unlikely to speak freely, and there is a real risk of being overheard.

Ask them to join from a quiet, enclosed room and to close the door. Suggest headphones to reduce echo and limit the chance of being overheard. You should do the same: no open-plan desks, no colleagues wandering into shot, and a clear signal to your household or team that you are not to be disturbed.

Watch for the small tells that privacy is not what it seems — a door opening behind them, a voice off-camera, a second person reflected in a mirror. If something feels off, pause and address it gently rather than pressing on.

Safeguarding, welfare and reasonable adjustments

Remote interviews can be harder on people who are unwell, distressed or vulnerable. Build in care.

• Offer breaks, especially for interviews that are likely to run beyond an hour.
• Make reasonable adjustments: a sign language interpreter, a support worker, a longer session, or written questions in advance.
• Signpost support, such as an employee assistance programme or occupational health, without making it sound like a condition of the process.
• Be alert to signs of acute distress or risk to self. If you have concerns, pause the interview and follow your safeguarding procedure.
• Where a participant may be a suspect in a criminal matter, take legal advice before proceeding, as employment and criminal processes can overlap.

Recording, notes and a clear next step

Decide in advance whether the interview will be recorded. If so, seek consent on the recording itself and explain how the file will be stored, who will access it, and when it will be deleted. If not, agree how notes will be taken and shared.

Keep a written record of timings, attendance and any technical interruptions, as these details matter if the process is later challenged. At the end of the call, summarise the key points, allow the participant to add or correct anything, and explain what happens next and when they can expect to hear from you.

Send them a copy of the notes promptly and invite them to confirm accuracy. A careful, considerate remote interview leaves people feeling that they were heard — and it leaves you with a record you can rely on.