Employee relations managers help an organization handle employee issues. Companies often hire employee relations managers to enhance workplaces and interactions between staff members. If you’re interested in this career, it’s important to learn about the qualifications you need. In this article, we explain what an employee relations manager is and how to become one.
An employee relations manager facilitates and handles employee relations. The managers improve teamwork and relationships between organizations and employees. They’re often in charge of resolving the general workforce and management issues. An employee relations manager addresses workplace issues, plans workshop activities and orients new team members and trainees. Their primary purpose is to keep the management and employees of the company in a healthy relationship. They also provide technical assistance for each employee program and respond to their issues professionally.
What does an employee relations manager do?
Here are the primary responsibilities of an employee relations manager:
Designing and executing an organization’s employee relations programs, procedures and policies
Maintaining effective communication with employees to improve employee engagement and relationships
Guiding employees and department managers through performance management and goal setting
Identifying and investigating breaches in employee relations
Providing suggestions for resolving issues
Managing the daily performance of junior employees
Ensuring that project or department objectives and goals get reached and sticking to granted budgets
Reporting to the head of the department
Maintaining excellent customer service to raise customer loyalty and repeat business
Handling employee concerns, managing grievance procedures and counseling other stakeholders
Managing online job postings
Vetting and interviewing job candidates
Setting up new hire documentation and orientation
Performing phone interviews with qualified candidates
The first stage is to obtain a bachelor’s degree in a field related to human resources. These degrees give students learning opportunities to use in their future professions in human resources management. They learn performance capabilities through skill-based projects and practical experiences. They may complete projects that help them create and implement employee solutions.
A bachelor’s degree in human resources covers recruiting, training and development. Classes are available in legal compliance, training assessments, organizational management, interview skills and functional human resource specializations. Graduates of these programs examine the many duties of a human resources department.
Analytical skills
Employee relations managers have good analytical abilities to assess working circumstances, analyze information and make correct observations as the connection between employers and workers. For example, six of a company’s 30 workers send resignation letters in six months. The employee relations manager determines the cause of the resignations. Suppose a dissatisfied workforce is the cause of the resignation. The manager devises effective remedies in this situation, such as delivering career coaching, counseling and support services.
Communication
Healthy employee relationships depend on an efficient communication structure in the workplace. As an employee relations manager, it’s your responsibility to use your communication skills to ensure that information flows freely throughout the company. You may also use written communication skills to write reports and communicate via email.
Negotiation
Employer-employee relationships are essential to the success of any business. When employees seek a wage rise, the company’s management may approve the request and provide a better payment plan. Suppose employees reject the offer because it falls short of their expectations. The employee relations manager utilizes negotiating skills to provide an acceptable solution for all sides.
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Employee relations jobs
Employee Relations Specialists perform a variety of duties to promote employee welfare, such as resolving human relations problems and promoting employee health and well-being. They interview workers and discuss personnel, human relations, and work-related problems that adversely affect morale, health, and productivity. This person also evaluates and resolves human relations, labor relations, and work-related problems, and meets with management to determine appropriate action. An Employee Relations Specialist explains and provides advice to workers about the company and governmental rules, regulations, and procedures, and need for compliance.
Additionally, an Employee Relations Specialist may have the following duties:
- Counsels employees regarding work, family, or personal problems
- Explains company compensation and benefits programs, such as medical, insurance, retirement, and savings plans, and enrolls workers in specified programs
- Arranges for employee library, lunchroom, recreational facilities, and activities
- Develops, schedules, and conducts technical, management, and interpersonal skills training to improve employee performance
- Prepares newsletter and other reports to communicate information about employee concerns and comments and organizational actions taken
- Attends conferences and meetings, as an employee-management liaison, to facilitate communication between parties
- Prepares reports and enters and updates medical, insurance, retirement, and other personnel forms and records, using computer
- Audits benefit accounts and examine records to ensure compliance with standards and regulations
- Arranges for employee physical examination, first aid, and other medical attention
- Inspects facilities to determine if lighting, sanitation, and security are adequate and to ensure compliance to standards
- Supervises clerical or administrative personnel