Employee Relations Specialist
At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we work to weave diversity, equity, and inclusion into our work and foster a sense of belonging throughout the company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?
Watch Our Story:' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story'
Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.
Position Summary:
The Employee Relations Specialist/HR Specialist is responsible for fostering a positive workplace environment by managing employee relations issues, resolving conflicts, and ensuring compliance with labour laws and company policies. This role serves as a critical resource for employees and management, addressing concerns and promoting effective communication to maintain a harmonious and productive workforce.
Key Responsibilities:
- Advise management on employee relations issues, including grievances, disciplinary actions and performance improvement plans
- Be the primary point of contact for employee inquiries, providing advice and support
- Thoroughly and impartially investigate employee complaints and conflicts
- Ensure compliance with labor laws, company policies and industry regulations
- Develop and deliver workplace behavior, conflict resolution and compliance training programs
- Working with HR and managers to improve employee engagement and workplace culture
- Maintain accurate records of employee relations cases while maintaining confidentiality
- Monitoring workplace trends and proactively addressing potential issues
- Supporting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to create a respectful workplace
- Collaborate with management on initiatives that promote employee wellbeing and retention
- Keep abreast of industry best practices to enhance employee relations strategies
- Work closely with HR leadership to implement employee engagement and retention strategies
#LI-MW4
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, CIPD Level 5 or a related field.
- 3+ years of experience in employee relations, HR, or a similar role.
- Strong knowledge of employment laws, employee rights, and HR best practices.
- Exceptional communication, conflict resolution, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with discretion and professionalism.
- Proficiency in HR software and systems.
- Certification in HR (e.g., SHRM-CP, PHR) is a plus
Our standard work arrangement requires three days in the office and allows for two days of remote work per week.
- A minimum of 5 years' Human Resources experience
- Discretion and the ability to deal with confidential and sensitive information
- Strong organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and various managers in a fast-paced environment
- High proficiency with MS Office including Outlook, Word and Excel
- Excellent verbal and written communication and strong client service ability
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships
- Experience leading and attending performance conversations
- Ability to facilitate employee training
- Self-motivated, well-organized and detail-oriented
- Ability to travel 15% of the time
- An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must
What We Believe
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
Our Commitment
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.
Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
