When an employee and management do not share a language, a workplace investigation interpreter lets both sides speak freely and be understood exactly. We provide independent consecutive interpreters for HR investigations, disciplinary and grievance hearings, exit interviews and employee meetings, on site or by video.
Trusted Credentials
Why an Independent Interpreter
An HR process can be well designed and still fail if the employee did not follow what was put to them. A professional interpreter closes that gap without taking sides.
A supervisor or co-worker who “helps out” may know the people involved, may be a witness, or may simply make the employee guarded. Our interpreter comes from outside the company, takes no part in the matter, and renders what is said, without advising, explaining or reassuring.
Investigation notes are often reread months later. Consecutive interpreting in the first person means the minutes show what the employee actually said, not a summary filtered through someone else. Hesitations, corrections and requests for clarification are interpreted too.
Harassment, misconduct, fraud and health-related matters need calm and precise language. Our interpreters render difficult or explicit words as spoken, keep a neutral tone, and keep everything they hear confidential. For some cases you can ask for an interpreter of a particular gender, which we try to arrange.
HR Meetings We Cover
Arabic⇄English as standard; interpreters in other languages spoken by your workforce on request. Tell us the language and, if relevant, the dialect or country.
Interviews with the employee under investigation, the person who raised the concern and each witness, often scheduled back to back on one day.
The hearing where the allegation and evidence are put to the employee and their response is heard, and any outcome meeting that follows.
Meetings where an employee raises a complaint or appeals a decision, and needs to explain it in their own words.
Leaving conversations where the employee must understand settlement terms, final paperwork and what they are asked to sign.
Improvement plans, warnings explained in person, and return-to-work meetings after leave or an incident.
Policy changes, restructuring announcements and site meetings where part of the workforce does not follow the main language.
How It Works
Share the language, the number of interviews, the date, the location or video platform and the kind of matter. Names are not needed at this stage, which keeps the case confidential.
Before any documents are sent, we discuss your confidentiality requirements, including any NDA you need, and how documents will be shared.
Send the allegation or topic, any site or technical terms, and the order of interviews. At the start of each session, the chair introduces the interpreter and explains their neutral role.
The interpreter works consecutively and can sight-translate the statement as it is read back. Your HR team keeps the minutes; we can translate the minutes, notices and letters as a separate service.
Where Our Interpreters Work
Transparent Pricing
Interpreting prices are confidential and quoted for each booking. Travel to remote sites, overtime and late cancellations are agreed in the quote.
FAQ
Because the value of an investigation interview lies in what the employee actually said. A professional interpreter is neutral, renders every question and answer in full, and has no reason to protect anyone, which makes the record more reliable than one taken through a colleague.
It is risky. A colleague may know the people involved, be a potential witness, feel pressure from management, or be someone the employee does not want hearing their side. Even a skilled bilingual staff member is not trained to interpret in the first person under pressure.
No. Interpreting and note-taking are separate jobs, and an interpreter who also writes the minutes cannot do either well. Your HR team or investigator keeps the record. If you need it in both languages, we translate the minutes afterwards as a written translation.
Consecutive. The investigator asks a short question, the interpreter renders it, the employee answers, and the interpreter renders the answer. It takes longer than a one-language interview, so book enough time and avoid back-to-back sessions with no breaks.
We take only the details needed to book, and before any documents are sent we discuss your confidentiality requirements, including any NDA you need. You can ask for any notes the interpreter makes during the session to be handed to you or destroyed at the end.
No. The interpreter interprets what HR and the employee say, nothing more. If the employee asks the interpreter a question directly, the interpreter renders it to the chair. Explanations of rights and procedure must come from HR or the employee’s own adviser.
Yes, provided the employee joins from a private room with a stable connection, and only one person speaks at a time. Note in the minutes that the interview was held remotely with an interpreter. Video also helps when staff are spread across several emirates.
Arabic⇄English is our core pair, and we arrange interpreters in other languages on request. Tell us the employee’s language and, where it matters, their country or dialect, so we can confirm an interpreter before you send the meeting invitation.
Interpreting is quoted on request. The price depends on the language, the number and length of interviews, the location or platform, and whether written translation of minutes or letters is also needed. Send the details on WhatsApp for a quote.
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Code of conduct, disciplinary policy and handbooks in both languages.
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Send the language, date, location or platform and the number of interviews on WhatsApp. We confirm an interpreter, discuss your confidentiality requirements and send a quote.