Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the strategic importance of effective **Employee Relations** and its link to organizational culture and performance.
• Master the legal principles of **Just Cause** and progressive discipline for fair and defensible disciplinary action.
• Develop and apply a systematic methodology for conducting thorough, unbiased, and legally sound workplace investigations.
• Manage and resolve employee grievances and workplace conflicts constructively and consistently across the organization.
• Understand the legal requirements and best practices for managing performance issues and using **Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs)**.
• Develop, communicate, and ensure the consistent application of key **ER** policies (e.g., code of conduct, anti-harassment, social media).
• Master documentation standards for all **ER** actions to ensure legal defensibility in the event of a claim.
• Coach managers on their **ER** responsibilities, including managing difficult conversations and fostering positive employee relationships.

• HR Generalists and Employee Relations Specialists
• HR Business Partners and Directors responsible for resolving workplace issues
• All Managers and Supervisors responsible for disciplinary action and team conflict
• Internal Auditors and Compliance Officers focused on policy enforcement
• New **HR** Professionals requiring foundational knowledge in **ER** and investigations

• Extensive role-playing scenarios practicing a disciplinary conversation and a neutral witness interview during an investigation.
• Group exercises designing a formal grievance procedure and a template for **Progressive Discipline** documentation.
• Case studies analyzing complex employee misconduct scenarios and determining the **Just Cause** for termination.
• Individual exercises developing a **Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)** for a sample underperforming employee.
• Workshops on techniques for documenting **ER** issues to ensure legal defensibility.

Unit 1: The Foundations of Effective Employee Relations

• Defining **Employee Relations** and its role in minimizing risk and building a high-trust culture
• The legal framework for **ER**: Employment-at-Will, **Just Cause**, and anti-discrimination laws (**EEO**)
• Developing **ER** policies: code of conduct, harassment, and workplace violence prevention
• The manager's role as the frontline of **ER** and their responsibility for consistent policy application

Unit 2: Workplace Investigations Methodology

• Mastering the 7-step process for conducting a thorough, unbiased, and timely investigation
• Techniques for interviewing the complainant, the subject, and witnesses effectively and confidentially
• Collecting and preserving evidence (e.g., electronic data, documents) compliantly
• Writing a legally sound investigation report with clear findings and recommendations

Unit 3: Disciplinary Action and Performance Management

• Mastering the concept of **Progressive Discipline** and applying the **Just Cause** standard for termination
• Strategies for conducting difficult conversations related to performance and misconduct constructively
• Developing and utilizing clear **Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs)** for underperforming employees
• The critical importance of consistent and thorough documentation for all disciplinary actions

Unit 4: Conflict Resolution and Grievance Management

• Identifying the different types and sources of workplace conflict (interpersonal, structural, performance-based)
• Techniques for effective conflict resolution, mediation, and de-escalation skills
• Designing and administering a formal employee grievance procedure fairly and compliantly
• Managing internal employee complaints and their linkage to the investigation process

Unit 5: High-Risk Areas and Policy Auditing

• Managing high-risk **ER** issues: managing social media use, off-duty conduct, and whistleblowing
• Strategies for effectively handling union organizing and **NLRB** considerations (**US**) or local labor relations
• Conducting a proactive **ER** policy audit to identify outdated, non-compliant, or high-risk language
• Action Planning: developing a manager training module on their **ER** and policy enforcement responsibilities