Skills Needed in Employee Relations

Employee relations is one of the human resources disciplines. The goal of the employee relations section of human resources is to strengthen the employer-employee relationship. Employee relations specialists accomplish this through identifying and resolving employee concerns related to job performance, workplace satisfaction and interaction with company leadership, peers and colleagues on a variety of issues. The area of employee relations is so diverse, successful specialists in this discipline generally have professional expertise as human resources generalists.

Employee Relations Specialist Duties

Typical duties and responsibilities of employee relations specialists include providing coaching and guidance to supervisors, conducting employee opinion surveys and developing strategy to reduce turnover and improve employee retention. Employee relations specialists also consult with upper management on employment trends and ways to improve employee satisfaction through giving input on compensation and benefits plans, as well as nonmonetary rewards that instill motivation in workers.

Knowledge of Employment Law

One of the most valuable skills an employee relations specialist can have is knowledge of labor and employment laws and regulations. Human resources staff in all disciplines should be aware of how unfair employment practices can impact the workplace; however, an employee relations specialist's job is to ensure employees receive fair and equal treatment throughout their career with the organization. In addition, keeping abreast of changes to labor and employment laws and other legislation that affects the workforce is an essential skill. It's especially helpful for employee relations specialists to understand the legislative process, legal processes and procedures and how legal structure affects the labor market.

Analytical and Critical-Thinking Skills

Human resources matters and, in particular, employee relations issues require analytical and critical-thinking skills to develop effective strategy for managing workplace relationships. Employee relations is a discipline that requires an understanding of how business and sociological concepts can help or hurt working relationships. Strengthening the employer-employee relationship demands a balanced application of analytical and critical-thinking skills to identify potential threats and resolve them before they have a negative impact on the organization. In addition, workplace investigations for which employee relations specialists are responsible benefit from these skills.

Communication and Negotiation Skills

Employee relations specialists are communicators -- effective professionals in this area of human resources must interact with employees within every level of the organization. Corporate leaders, managers and front-line employees seek the assistance of employee relations specialists at some time during the employment relationship. Therefore, the ability to communicate anywhere from the board room to the production floor is an asset employee relations specialists must demonstrate. Resolving employee relations matters also requires strong negotiation skills and impartiality. Protecting the company's assets through investigating and resolving employee complaints is a regular function of employee relations; however, striking a balance between being an advocate for both employees and the employer is possible with an employee relations specialist's negotiation skills combined with a win-win attitude about employer-employee relationships.

References

• Fistful of Talent: Employee Relations ... The Street Cred Every HR Leader Must Have; August 2009
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition: Human Resources, Training, and Labor Relations Managers and Specialists
• National Aeronautics & Space Administration: What is Employee Relations?; March 2009
• U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Alternative Dispute Resolution, A Resource Guide
• Austin Business Journal: Tips to Improve Employee Relations; Suzin Barnes; March 1998
• CACI International: Employee Relations (Analyst and Management)

Resources

• HR.com
• Society for Human Resource Management
• National Human Resources Association
• National Labor Relations Board
• Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc.
• The American Society for Training & Development