Today's Trends, Tomorrow's Innovations
Investigations Report 2024
Present to Future
In 2024, the investigations industry is experiencing significant change, driven by increasing demands for transparency and accountability. This whitepaper examines key trends of today based on leading industry benchmarking reports, highlighting important developments such as rising report volumes and higher substantiation rates. These insights reflect how organisations are adapting to current challenges and the evolving expectations of stakeholders.
Furthermore, the paper discusses the impact of technology on the investigations process of tomorrow. Advancements in artificial intelligence and automation are reshaping how organisations manage investigations and handle reporting. As companies navigate these changes, understanding these trends will be crucial for enhancing their investigative practices and maintaining compliance in a dynamic environment.
Key Insights from 2024 Benchmark Reports
The Mycroft team analysed the latest benchmark reports by leading players in the industry. The insights derived from the reports focus on 6 key industry trends which offer a compelling look into the evolving landscape of the investigations industry. This section highlights critical trends that reflect both the challenges and advancements organisations face in promoting transparency and accountability. As internal reporting systems witness unprecedented engagement, the data underscores a growing trust among employees who feel empowered to report misconduct.
The reports reveal significant findings on rising report volumes, and substantiation rates, showcasing the importance of multi-channel reporting systems in enhancing engagement. Moreover, the ongoing dialogue between anonymous and named reporting emphasises the necessity of fostering an environment of trust. With case closure times remaining efficient, organisations must balance speed with thoroughness to ensure comprehensive investigations.
The sector-specific trends further illustrate the dynamic nature of reporting behaviours across industries. As we delve into these key insights, it becomes evident that organisations must adapt their strategies to leverage these trends effectively, paving the way for a more accountable future in the investigations industry.
The following summary is derived from the 2024 benchmarking reports published by Navex, CaseIQ and SafeCall
Increased Reporting Volumes
Internal reporting systems have reached record engagement levels across organisations of all sizes. In various industries and regions, there has been a significant increase in the number of reports submitted. NAVEX’s Whistleblowing & Incident Management Benchmark Report reveals a global rise in report volumes per 100 employees, with a median of 1.57 (a 6.8% increase), setting new record. Notably, 23% of organisations received over 5 reports per 100 employees. This trend highlights growing confidence in internal reporting systems, as more employees feel empowered to report misconduct.
1.57 reports per 100 employees
Case IQ’s Investigative Case Management Benchmark Report supports these findings, demonstrating that organisations offering multiple intake channels (e.g., hotlines, web portals, email) experienced significantly higher report volumes. Organisations with four or more channels received 52% more reports than those with fewer channels. This finding emphasises the importance of providing diverse reporting options to maximise engagement.
Rising Substantiation Rates
NAVEX reported an 11-year high in report substantiation rates, with 45% overall median share of reports found to be valid. Notably, the substantiation rate for named reports reached 50%, highlighting the increased likelihood of identifying actual misconduct when reporters feel safe to identify themselves.
Case IQ’s data indicates that organisations with fewer cases per investigator (one to five cases) experienced higher substantiation rates, reaching up to 50%, compared to 35-40% for investigators with heavier caseloads.
Reduced caseloads lead to higher substantiation rates.
These findings reinforce the need for organisations to manage investigator workloads carefully to ensure high-quality investigations.
Sector-Specific Reporting Trends
Certain industries saw notable changes in reporting behaviours in 2024. Safecall’s Benchmark Report highlighted a sharp increase in the number of reports from the education sector (+4.7%) and the Logistics and Manufacturing sector (+2.7%/2.2%), with report share rising from under 1% to over 5%. Conversely, the healthcare (-4.3%) and construction sectors (-3.9%) experienced declines in report volume, potentially reflecting post-pandemic stabilisation in those industries.
Reports related to business integrity, financial misconduct, and HR issues such as workplace civility and discrimination were the most prevalent across industries.
Source: Safecall - Benchmarking Report 2024
Anonymous vs. Named Reporting
The discussion around anonymous versus named reporting persisted in 2024. NAVEX reported that anonymous submissions made up 56% of all reports, with a substantiation rate of 33%. In contrast, named reports were more likely to be substantiated, at 50%. Similarly, Case IQ noted that anonymous reports accounted for around 30% of cases, particularly in high-risk areas such as fraud, TitleIX, or HR/Employee Relations.
Despite the challenges of engaging with anonymous reporters, the data suggests that anonymous reporting remains a critical way for uncovering issues that might otherwise go unreported. Organisations that build trust and encourage named reporting tend to achieve higher-quality investigations and outcomes.
Source: 2024 Investigative Case Management Benchmark Report from Case IQ
Case Closure Times
Efficient case closure is an important measure of the effectiveness of investigative processes. NAVEX reported that in 2023, the median case closure time decreased slightly to 22 days (a 2-day reduction year-over-year), while the average closure time rose to 45 days (up by 1 day). This reflects improved efficiency in resolving less complex cases, with more time allocated to addressing more challenging ones.
The categories with the longest median closure times are Bribery & Corruption (88 days), Competition (83 days), and Insider Trading (61 days). These extended timelines may be attributed to the involvement of third-party investigators, the increased complexity of the cases, or a misalignment between the resources organisations have allocated and the demands of these investigations.
Larger organisations, particularly those in North America, were able to close cases faster, likely due to better resource allocation and more streamlined workflows.
However, the reports also cautioned against prioritising speed over thoroughness, especially for complex cases where more time may be needed to ensure proper investigation.
Source: Navex 2024 Benchmarking report
Technology's Growing Role
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated reporting channels is becoming increasingly common in investigative case management. Case IQ reported that AI integration is improving intake, case management, and analytics, though organisations remain cautious due to privacy concerns and the need for leadership buy-in.
NAVEX and Safecall both noted a growing preference for online reporting portals, particularly in regions with high internet penetration. These portals offer flexibility, allowing reporters to remain anonymous while providing a secure, confidential space for ongoing communication.
How will Technology impact the industry?
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionised industries across the globe. These technological developments also have the potential to redefine the investigations landscape, providing organisations with innovative tools that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve decision-making. From initial case intake to final conclusions, AI can streamline processes, tackle long standing challenges, and establish new benchmarks for investigative practices. Let's take a closer look at four key areas within the industry that will be impacted in the years ahead.
Virtual Agents Replace Traditional Call Centres
In May, OpenAI launched its voice mode, followed by the announcement of the Realtime API in October—a tool allowing developers to integrate low-latency AI-generated voice responses into their applications. This technology facilitates human-like, real-time conversations with AI and has the potential to replace traditional call centres.
Industries like customer service are already transitioning from human-operated call centres to AI agents that function 24/7, support multiple languages, and significantly reduce costs. While further development is needed to implement this technology in industries that deal with sensitive data and grievances, these AI-powered agents will soon handle inquiries and assist with case intake, ensuring timely capture of critical information.
This transformation not only enhances user experience but also alleviates challenges associated with conventional phone systems, such as high maintenance costs in relation to usage, managing numerous phone lines and numbers, and navigating language translations.
AI-Led Evidence Discovery
Evidence discovery has historically been one of the most labour-intensive aspects of internal investigations. This process typically demands extensive manual effort to sift through vast amounts of data, sometimes taking days or even weeks to complete.
Large language models (LLMs) excel at quickly scanning both structured data—like time sheets and access logs—and unstructured data—such as emails, chat histories, and documents. Guided by the user, they can surface relevant information, uncover crucial insights, and establish connections between previously unlinked data points.
Additionally, video transcription and summarisation services are becoming more readily available within the investigations industry. These tools streamline workflows by automatically transcribing and summarising witness interviews and identifying key behaviours and individuals in CCTV footage.
By streamlining evidence discovery, organisations can significantly reduce the time required for investigations, allowing investigators to concentrate on analysis rather than data collection.
Process-Driven Case Management
Investigations are complex and necessitate a systematic approach to ensure thoroughness and consistency. Traditionally, investigators follow standard operating procedures to conduct investigations in a comprehensive, proportionate, and timely manner while adhering to applicable laws and policies.
The next generation of case management tools will be capable of ingesting information related to a case and guiding investigators through the required processes. These systems will provide a structured framework that ensures no steps or deadlines are overlooked, minimising variability in case quality. This structured approach will enhance compliance with internal guidelines, policies, and regulatory requirements.
Talk to your Data
Understanding and analysing investigative data is crucial for effective risk management. Traditional data analytics often fall short, providing limited insights and lacking predictive capabilities, making it challenging to identify developing trends and hotspots promptly.
AI-powered analytics tools have the potential to transform this landscape by enabling investigators to interact with their data using natural language queries. This user-friendly approach allows non-technical staff to uncover valuable insights without needing extensive training in data analysis. Consequently, organisations can make quicker, informed decisions, and enhance their ability to preempt future issues.
Conclusion
In conclusion, as the investigations industry continues to evolve, the focus on reducing case closure times and fostering trust with employees will drive the adoption of new technologies that enhance efficiency. The ongoing advancement of AI holds the potential to fundamentally transform the investigative landscape. Organizations that embrace these innovations and effectively navigate regulatory challenges will not only improve their processes but also establish themselves as leaders in a rapidly changing environment. The future of internal investigations is emerging, and it is being shaped by the power of AI.
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Mycroft delivers AI-driven investigations software for corporate security and investigation teams, enabling them to conduct more efficient investigations, reduce costs, and mitigate risks effectively.
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