The Employee Relations Manager is responsible for managing employee relations activities within the country, ensuring a positive work environment and compliance with company policies and labor laws. This role involves addressing employee concerns, resolving conflicts, and supporting the Senior HR Manager in implementing regional employee relations strategies. The position will be based out of our Bolton Office with frequent travel.
Employee Relations and Workplace Culture
• Develop and implement strategies to foster a positive work environment and promote a healthy workplace culture.
• Address employee concerns proactively and manage involuntary exits with professionalism and empathy.
• Conduct exit interviews to gather feedback, identify trends, and implement corrective actions where necessary.
• Work closely with HR teams and Managers to align employee relations strategies with business goals and ensure transparent communication with employees and management.
Union & Work Council Relations
• Administer and maintain effective relationships with trade unions and work councils.
• Actively engage and consult with employee representatives to address concern and negotiate agreements.
• Ensure consistent and constructive dialogue with social partners to support organizational stability.
Training & Development
• Provide training and support to Managers on employee relations topics, including conflict resolution and effective communication.
• Provide training and support to managers on employee relations, partner with L&D to deliver programs on conflict resolution and communication, and support initiatives to enhance employee skills and capabilities.
Compliance and Legal
• Act as first point of contact for legal compliance matters at the site level, ensuring HR practices are legally sound and ethically aligned.
• Conduct regular audits of HR processes (. contracts, working hours, leave management) to identify and correct compliance gaps.
• Collaborate with Legal and Labor Relations teams to develop and implement mitigation plans and collective agreements.
• Support investigations and resolution of employee grievances, disciplinary actions, or legal claims, ensuring documentation and process integrity.
• Facilitate and coordinate mandatory compliance training sessions to ensure awareness and adherence across the organization.
• Assist in developing, implementing, and communicating HR policies and procedures, ensuring they are up-to-date and compliant with current labor laws and regulations.
Compensation and Benefits Support
• Partner with the Compensation and Benefits team to manage benefits scheme renewals.
• Ensure timely invoicing and payments to employee benefits.
• Oversee the governance and communication of company pension schemes.
3. FORMAL EDUCATION:
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Law, Business Administration, or a related field or equivalent through experience.
4. KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:
Required:
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in employee relations or a similar HR role, or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience working with trade unions, work councils, and managing complex employee relations cases.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, conflict resolution abilities, and knowledge of labor laws and regulations.
• Experience in a matrixed organization, with dual reporting lines or cross-functional collaboration.
5. JOB COMPLEXITY FRAMEWORK:
• Complexity: Manages complex and sensitive employee relations issues, often involving legal, reputational and organizational risk. Requires coordination with multiple stakeholders including Legal, HR, and business leaders.
• Communication: Effectively communicates to shape policies and procedures outside the direct job area.
• Supervision: Manages, Coaches, reviews work and supports other HR professional with guidance.
• Influencing Skills: Plays a key role in shaping HR policies beyond the immediate team.
• Freedom to Act: Operates independently on assignments, with responsibility for implementing policies.
6. TECHNICAL/SKILL REQUIREMENTS:
• Conflict Resolution: Strong skills in mediating and resolving workplace conflicts. Ability to conduct thorough investigations and ensure fair and consistent application of company policies.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively convey information and updates. Ability to communicate complex information clearly and persuasively to various stakeholders.
• Interpersonal Skills: Strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain positive relationships with employees and managers. Ability to handle sensitive situations with empathy and professionalism.
• Integrity: High level of integrity and confidentiality in handling sensitive employee information.
• Negotiation: Skilled in negotiating and resolving conflicts effectively. Ability to mediate between employees and management to find acceptable solutions
Required to travel up to 40% of time