Employee Relations Specialist

Company Description
**Overall Job Function**: As the ER Specialist you are responsible for overseeing our employee relations strategy. You will ensure all HR related policies and procedures are being met. You will provide support to Areas and Office teams for any employee relation needs and promote employee health & wellbeing. As a strategic partner you will support engagement initiatives and lead people through change.

This role is open to the Toronto and Montreal Regions

Job Description
**Job responsibilty: including but not limited to,**
- Oversees Company-wide adherence of HR policies, federal, provincial, municipal laws and employment related requirements.
- Provides first level support to store and area teams with questions regarding HR policies, performance management, terminations, workers compensation and disability leaves.
- Maintains an overview of all ER cases across the Company’s retail locations and offices. Provides the Country HR Manager and Country Manager monthly updates with the progress of each case.
- Creates clear strategies and actions to mitigate risks and costs when advising Managers and Function Heads on performance management and/or terminations for their team.
- Escalates more complex or employment law related ER cases to the Country HR Manager
- Provides the Country HR Manager and Area teams with updates and actions that the offices and stores need to take to ensure all employee related requirements are 100% compliant.
- Partners with the Country HR Manager, Employee Relations Coordinator, and external legal teams as necessary to complete the annual review of H&M’s HR Policies
- Oversees the maintenance of H&M practices and policies in employee relations and overall employee workplace guidelines
- Acts as the team lead working with the HR Coordinator and HR Analyst to prepare, communicate, roll out, and follow up on the bi-annual employee engagement surveys for all store and office employees,
- Partners with the Employee Relations Coordinator, HR Analyst, and Country HR Manager to execute a thorough analysis of the employee engagement surveys. From this analysis the ER Specialist will partner with the Country HR Manager and present the results to the Country Manager.
- Partners with the Employee Relations Coordinator to share employee engagement results with the Function and Area Managers and provides guidance and advice to improve.
- Partners with Area HR Managers to ensure that clear, accurate, and timely communication methods for ER policies and programs are available to, and understood by, all employees in the stores.
- Looks for countrywide trends to assess opportunities for improvement in retention and workplace practices and helps Area HR to create relevant action plans
- Coaches and counsels Area HR Managers, and Store Managers on escalated employee relations issues
- Provides internal consultation when necessary to HR Manager and Areas on organizational staff planning and succession for field employees
- Develops Area HR Manager in employee relations best practices
- Creates and maintains new and ongoing vendor relations with outside legal counsel as necessary
- Consistently uses H&M values in making decisions and with all ER practices

Qualifications
- Experience with employee coaching and counseling with employee relations, benefits, payroll, recruiting and training.
- Knowledge of Canadian employment and provincial law
- Minimum 3 years in a retail management position
- Degree in HR preferred, or relevant experience in related field
- Effective oral and written communication skills, Bilingual (ENG/FRE) considered an asset
- Skilled at solving conflicts in a straightforward but positive way
- Ability to provide leadership through our shared values and be a strong brand ambassador to ensure Engagement initiatives are met
- Growth mindset and solutions oriented
- Exceptional customer service and interpersonal skills.
- Able to work both strategically as well as operationally
- Understanding of company and governmental legislations, regulations, and procedures, and need for compliance.

Additional Information
**Accommodation**:
H&M will accommodate disabilities during the recruitment and selection process.

If a job applicant requests accommodation from H&M, H&M will consult with the job applicant and make adjustments that best suit their needs.

Successful job applicants of H&M will be notified of our policies for accommodating employees with disabilities