People Engagement Specialist

Yee Hong Centre For Geriatric Care•Mississauga, ON

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The People Engagement Specialist plays a critical role within the People & Culture pillar, ensuring a consistent, values-driven approach to employee experience, labour relations, and workplace culture across assigned divisions. Grounded in our values - We Care. We Collaborate. We Commit. - this role is responsible for executing and delivering core People & Culture programs and practices that strengthen workforce stability, engagement, and performance, directly contributing to high-quality, person-centred care. Acting as a trusted partner to operational leaders, the Specialist provides day-to-day guidance, coaching, and hands-on support across the employee lifecycle, ensuring alignment with organizational policies, collective agreements, and regulatory requirements. The role serves as the primary connector between strategy and frontline execution, translating People priorities into consistent, practical application at the divisional level. While this role collaborates across all People pillars (Rewards, Talent Acquisition, Development, and HR Technology), its core accountability sits within People & Culture, with a focus on: Labour and employee relations, Workplace culture and engagement, Risk mitigation and compliance, Workforce wellness and stability.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
3 - 5+ years of progressive Human Resources experience in a generalist or Human Resources Business Partner-type role
Strong labour relations experience in a unionized environment
Strong knowledge of employment legislation and collective agreements
Exceptional judgement in managing complex employee relations matters
Ability to influence and coach leaders in a practical, solutions-oriented way
Skilled in conflict resolution, investigation, and risk management
Data-informed mindset with ability to translate insights into action
Highly collaborative, adaptable, and resilient in a fast-paced environment
Proficiency in HRIS systems (Workday preferred) and Microsoft 365
Ability to communicate in English and Chinese

Nice To Haves

CHRL designation considered an asset
Experience in healthcare or long-term care strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary advisor to leaders on employee and labour relations matters, ensuring fair, consistent, and compliant practices
Lead and manage grievance processes, including investigation, resolution, and arbitration preparation
Act as a liaison with union representatives to foster constructive, solution-focused relationships
Support labour relations strategy, including research and preparation for negotiations
Ensure consistent interpretation and application of collective agreements across divisions
Drive execution of engagement and culture initiatives aligned with organizational values
Lead the employee engagement survey process, including analysis, insights, and action planning with leaders
Support leaders in fostering psychologically safe, inclusive, and high-performing team environments
Coach leaders on performance management, feedback, and employee experience practices
Identify trends and root causes of workforce challenges and implement practical solutions
Conduct workplace investigations (e.g., harassment, human rights, employee complaints) and recommend resolution strategies
Provide guidance on complex and high-risk employee matters (e.g., terminations, accommodations, conflict resolution)
Ensure compliance with legislation (ESA, OHSA, Human Rights Code, AODA, privacy) and internal policies
Partner with leaders to proactively identify and mitigate workforce risks
Support health, safety, wellness, and return-to-work programs
Support divisional workforce needs across the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, retention, absenteeism, and performance
Provide coaching and guidance to leaders to strengthen people management capability
Partner with Talent Acquisition, Rewards, and Development teams to ensure seamless execution of People programs
Support immigration and workforce planning coordination where required
Leverage HRIS (e.g., Workday) to support data-informed decision-making at the divisional level
Track and report on key People metrics (e.g., turnover, absenteeism, engagement)
Identify opportunities to improve People processes, consistency, and outcomes
Support change initiatives by providing practical guidance and driving adoption at the frontline
Act as a key connector between People & Culture and other pillars: Talent Acquisition (recruitment, onboarding experience), People Rewards & Payroll (policy interpretation, employee inquiries), People Development & Training (performance, leadership capability), People Insights & HR Technology (data, systems adoption)
Ensure an integrated, seamless experience for leaders and team members