Location
Hybrid: 1-2 days at our Support Centre in Coleshill, Birmingham.
ER Partner Role
As an ER Partner reporting to the People Services Manager, your role is essential in fostering a positive and compliant work environment. You will leverage your HR expertise to manage and resolve employee relations issues, provide high-level guidance and support to managers and employees, and ensure adherence to company policies and employment laws. Your proactive approach and organizational skills will help you seek out tasks and assist where needed, while your strong communication abilities will enable you to build and develop relationships and keep everyone informed. Engaging in meetings, being a team player, and maintaining attention to detail are crucial aspects of your role. Additionally, your empathy, adaptability, and conflict resolution skills will be vital in handling grievances, high‑risk disciplinary actions, and performance management effectively.
Your Mission
* Liaising with solicitors to reduce the risk of cases going to tribunal
* Manage and resolve employee relations issues, including grievances, disciplinary actions and performance management. Provide guidance and support to managers and employees.
* Policy compliance, ensuring adherence to company policies and employment laws. Offer advice and support on policy interpretation and application.
* Support HR initiatives and projects, including employee engagement, retention and development programmes.
* Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date records of employee relations cases, including meeting notes, disciplinary actions and performance reviews.
* Communicate effectively with managers and employees to address concerns and provide guidance on employee relations matters.
* Provide training, coaching and development support to managers and employees on employee relations topics.
* Offer professional, expert, best‑practice and legally compliant advice, coaching and support to cross‑functional line managers on employee relations casework.
* Pragmatic solutions: guide managers to formulate pragmatic and business‑focused solutions balanced with policy application and employment legislation.
* Tribunal support: assist the Head of People Business Partnering & ER and Senior People Business Partners in preparing tribunal cases, ensuring timely documentation and information.
* Sickness absence management: work closely with the People Partnering Administrator to oversee the management of sickness absence cases.
Skills and Behaviours
* Organisational excellence – strong organisational skills and a proactive approach.
* Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
* Conflict management – ability to manage conflicts and provide empathetic support.
* High‑risk handling – experience in handling high‑risk disciplinary actions and performance management.
* Attention to detail – keen attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records.
* Strategic thinking and planning capabilities.
* HR expertise – proven experience in employee relations or a similar HR role.
* Legal knowledge – strong knowledge of employment laws and regulations.
* Discretion – ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
* Strong problem‑solving and conflict resolution skills.
* Technical proficiency – proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Benefits
* 25% colleague discount – plus exclusive double discount days.
* MyWorks – access exclusive online discounts across hundreds of retailers, holidays, utilities deals, tech and more.
* Family‑friendly leave – enjoy enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
* Holiday – 33 days including bank holidays.
* Holiday purchase – purchase an additional 5 days.
* Can‑Do Academy – grow your skills and career with instant access to further training and development in areas that interest you.
* Stream – claim early access to 50% of your wages as you earn them – for when life happens.
* Share scheme – own a piece of The Works.
* 24/7 support for you and your family – through our partnership with the Retail Trust who provide an Employee Assistance Programme and so much more.
* Healthcare cash plan – support everyday healthcare costs.
* Long‑service awards, pension, life assurance, cycle‑to‑work and optional charity giving.
Our Purpose
To inspire reading, learning, creativity and play.
Our Values
* Crafty – smart with what we've got.
* Caring – heart in every action.
* Can‑do – energy that gets it done.
We Listen. We Care
Each year, we run an anonymous colleague engagement survey. This is so important for us to hear your feedback and suggestions. We want to know what’s going great, and what needs a couple of tweaks to help make The Works the best place you’ve ever worked! You’ll have opportunity to help give us that direction.
Promoting Diversity, Inclusion, and Applying Reasonable Adjustments
At The Works, we are proud to have an inclusive culture where everyone truly feels able to be themselves. Our roles are open to all, including under‑represented groups such as ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, carers and members of the LGBTQ+ community (including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bi, trans, non‑binary or use another term). We are open to discussions around working hours and flexible working. If you need reasonable adjustments for an interview you might attend with us, let us know in your application and we’ll be happy to help!
Because when people spend time doing what they love, it’s Time Well Spent.
It all starts with you.
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