Employee Relations Senior Consultant

CNA Insurance • Chicago, IL

2d • $72,000 - $141,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Employee Relations Senior Consultant is responsible for providing employee relations guidance and consultative support to managers, employees, HR Business Partners, and other HR colleagues. This role supports fair, timely, and consistent resolution of employee relations concerns, including policy interpretation, performance management, workplace conduct, attendance, and employee complaints.

Requirements

• Strong fundamental knowledge of federal and state employment laws, human resources policies, and employee relations investigatory best practices.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills. Ability to effectively build rapport with employees, business partners, and managers.
• Strong analytical, fact-finding and evidence gathering skills.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and make sound business and legal decisions quickly and reliably.
• Strong time management and organizational skills with the ability to be flexible and exercise a sense of urgency in handling multiple cases with proper prioritization.
• Ability to collect and synthesize large quantities data, to recognize trends, and to develop, clearly communicate and effectively implement recommendations based on employee relations knowledge and risk mitigation principles.
• Strong influencing skills, with the ability to keep confidentiality, build and maintain credibility, and work collaboratively.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to manage and resolve ambiguous, complex, and sensitive situations while providing flexible solutions.
• Knowledge of the insurance industry, its products and services.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and the ability to learn and use Workday and HR Acuity software.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Industrial or Labor Relations, Business, or another related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Typically requires four or more years of directly related employee relations experience.
• Experience managing employee relations cases, advising on performance management, conducting workplace investigations, preparing documentation, and making recommendations to support appropriate resolution.

Responsibilities

• Provides practical, consultative guidance on employee relations matters while promoting compliance with applicable employment laws, regulations, and company policies.
• Supports a consistent approach to various employee relations matters, identifies recurring employee relations themes, and partners with the Director of Employee Relations and other stakeholders to elevate matters requiring additional review or specialized guidance.
• Consults and coaches managers on performance management best practices in relation to performance improvement and corrective actions, exit strategies and involuntary separations.
• Investigates employee complaints. Manages investigations beginning-to-end, including intake meetings, development of the investigation plan, researching the allegations, conducting effective interviews, generating investigation summary reports, developing appropriate recommendations for resolution, effectively seeking alignment on recommended outcomes, and communicating outcomes to impacted individuals.
• Investigate, review, consult, and provide recommendations to managers on employee misconduct and policy violation issues. Make recommendations regarding appropriate level of corrective action based on company policy and laws.
• Maintains timely, accurate, and complete documentation of employee relations matters within CNA’s case management system, including intake notes, interview notes, investigation summaries, findings, recommendations, and supporting materials.
• May assist in the creation and refinement of company-wide HR policies.
• Assist in the development of training tools, templates, processes and reference materials, or other projects in support of the Employee Relations COE.
• May participate in project work that supports the Employee Relations COE, the Human Resources Department or other functions as appropriate.
• May perform additional duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Comprehensive and competitive benefits package to help our employees – and their family members – achieve their physical, financial, emotional and social wellbeing goals.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior