Human Resources Management: How did you become a detective?
Michael Thiel: I did a six-month training course at a training institute in Augsburg.
Did all your colleagues do that?
No, Germany is one of the few countries where the profession is not regulated.
What suspicion do you most often have on the table?
That the employee works for the competition while on sick leave.
Which requests do you immediately reject?
Everything towards organized crime. This is often legally tricky.
What is being discussed among colleagues in your industry?
AI, probably like in most jobs. It’s a helpful tool, but I need to know what I’m looking for and how to interpret it.
What role does intuition play in your job? Can anyone do the job?
Yes, anyone can do that. Nobody is born to be an investigator. But you need interest and commitment.
We spoke to Michael Thiel and two labor law experts about the delicate use of detectives and put together what HR departments should take into account:
As head of the online service, Gesine Wagner oversees the digital channels of human resources management and, as an editor, is primarily responsible for the topics of labor law, politics and regulation. She continues to be the contact person for everything that has to do with HR start-ups. She is also responsible for the CHRO Panel.
