When Workplace Issues Arise: Understanding the Role of Employee Relations

Workplace issues can develop quickly. A manager may start by addressing missed deadlines or a change in performance, only for the conversation to uncover an employee complaint, a leave request, a concern about treatment, or another issue that needs additional HR involvement.

Managers still need to lead their teams and address day-to-day expectations, but they should also know when a situation has moved beyond routine management. Employee Relations provides that support by helping employers navigate performance concerns, workplace conflict, complaints, investigations, corrective action, and employment decisions.

At Ataraxis, Employee Relations is one of the Three Sides of HR, alongside HR Compliance and People Operations. Each serves a different role, and workplace issues often require more than one of them.

Our approach to Employee Relations is also built around partnership. Rather than stopping at consultation or advice, Ataraxis can stay involved as employers work through what comes next.

Understanding where Employee Relations fits helps employers involve the right expertise earlier and gives managers more support as situations become more complex.

What Does Employee Relations Handle?

Employee Relations focuses on workplace situations that require employers and managers to make thoughtful decisions about employee performance, behavior, complaints, conflict, or employment status.

Some situations remain within normal management responsibilities. A manager may need to clarify expectations, provide feedback, or coach an employee through a performance concern. Employee Relations becomes more involved when the issue continues, corrective action may be needed, an employee raises a complaint, or the employer is considering a decision with broader employment implications.

The support can extend well beyond recommending what a manager should do. Ataraxis may participate in strategy discussions before a difficult conversation, help managers prepare talking points, develop a communication plan, or attend the meeting when additional HR support would be useful.

That level of involvement helps managers prepare for the conversation itself while also considering what should be documented, whether another HR issue may be involved, and what follow-up may be needed afterward.

When Should Managers Bring in Employee Relations?

Managers should have room to manage, but they also need defined escalation points. Employee Relations support may be appropriate when:

• Coaching has not resolved a performance or behavior concern
• Corrective action or a performance improvement plan may be needed
• An employee raises a complaint about a manager or coworker
• Workplace conflict is beginning to affect the team
• Discrimination, retaliation, pay consistency, or workplace treatment concerns are raised
• An investigation may be necessary
• Termination or another significant employment decision is being considered

A performance concern that improves after coaching may not require additional intervention. If the same concern continues, however, the employer may need to consider written corrective action, a performance improvement plan, or another next step. Employee Relations can help review what has already happened and determine how the manager should approach the situation from there.

Complaints and workplace conflict may also require earlier involvement. Concerns involving discrimination, retaliation, pay consistency, workplace treatment, or manager conduct can require more context before a response is given. Employee Relations can help employers review the circumstances, determine what information is still needed, and identify whether HR Compliance should also be involved.

Ataraxis can work alongside the manager as the response is developed and carried out, rather than providing advice and leaving the manager to execute it alone.

Documentation Helps Employers Make Better-Supported Decisions

Performance concerns, corrective action, complaints, and other Employee Relations issues often develop over several conversations. Documentation helps employers understand that history and make decisions based on what has actually occurred.

Useful documentation should capture:

• The concern or issue being addressed
• Expectations that have already been communicated and expectations going forward
• Coaching, conversations, or other steps taken so far
• What improvement or change is expected
• Follow-up, timelines, or next steps

Ataraxis can help prepare corrective action forms, performance improvement plans, warning notices, and other documentation connected to the situation. The documentation should reflect the circumstances accurately and give both the employer and employee a useful record of what has been discussed.

That context becomes increasingly important when an employer is considering a more significant employment decision. If a performance issue eventually leads to termination, for example, the employer needs to be able to review the events and decisions that led to that point.

Documentation also supports more consistent manager practices. Similar situations will not always lead to identical outcomes, but employers should be able to explain the business factors behind a decision and show how the circumstances were evaluated.

Workplace Investigations May Require More HR Involvement

Some employee concerns cannot be addressed through a manager conversation alone. Reports of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, misconduct, or other serious workplace concerns may require an investigation.

The employer first needs to understand what was reported and determine the appropriate way to gather additional information. Depending on the circumstances, that may involve reviewing documents, speaking with employees or managers, and evaluating whether an objective third party should participate.

Ataraxis can review investigation findings and help employers evaluate their options once the available information has been gathered. When an objective third party is appropriate, Ataraxis may also conduct or assist with the investigation.

Once the investigation is complete, the employer still needs to decide how to respond. Ataraxis can support that process by helping evaluate the findings, completing a risk analysis, reviewing possible next steps, and preparing the employer for any employee conversations that follow.

Employee Relations Does Not Work Separately From the Rest of HR

An Employee Relations issue can change as new information comes forward.

A manager may raise attendance and performance concerns. Employee Relations can help review the history, prepare the manager for the conversation, and determine whether documentation is appropriate. During that conversation, the employee may share information about a medical condition or another circumstance that raises leave or accommodation considerations.

At that point, HR Compliance becomes part of the response. The employer may need to determine which requirements apply before moving forward with corrective action or another employment decision.

People Operations provides another perspective when an individual concern points to something broader within the workplace. Recurring performance issues across a department may point to gaps in how managers prepare employees for their roles, from onboarding and orientation through ongoing training. Repeated conflict or turnover may indicate a need to look more closely at communication, employee development, engagement, or the overall employee experience.

Ataraxis uses the Three Sides of HR to bring those perspectives together. Employee Relations helps employers navigate employee challenges. HR Compliance supports the requirements that apply to the situation. People Operations helps employers consider how the issue connects to managers, employees, and longer-term workforce needs.

Difficult Employment Decisions Need Support Through Execution

Some Employee Relations situations ultimately lead to termination or another significant employment decision.

Before moving forward, employers may need to review previous documentation, the reason for the decision, how similar circumstances have been handled, and whether there are HR Compliance considerations that could affect the next step.

Ataraxis can help employers work through that review and complete a risk analysis before the decision is carried out. Support may also include preparing the manager for the conversation, helping develop talking points, drafting necessary documentation, or attending the meeting alongside the manager.

The work does not necessarily end when the conversation does. Employees may need help understanding termination letters, severance packages, the return of company property, or other next steps associated with their departure.

Supporting those details helps managers and employers carry the decision through without having to manage every part of a sensitive process on their own.

A Different Approach to Outsourced HR Support

For some outsourced HR or PEO relationships, Employee Relations support primarily means consultation. An employer explains the situation, receives a recommendation or template, and then handles the execution internally.

Ataraxis takes a more hands-on partnership approach that extends beyond consultation and advice. We do not simply identify what an employer should do next. Our HR Business Partners can work alongside employers to help prepare and execute the response.

This partnership also brings an outside perspective. As a neutral third party, Ataraxis can help employers look at workplace situations more objectively and navigate a fair, consistent process, giving them the information and perspective they need to make their own employment decisions with confidence.

Employers also have access to a broader team of subject matter experts with extensive collective experience and professional credentials. More than 10 members of the Ataraxis team hold SHRM or other professional HR certifications, giving clients access to deeper expertise than they may receive from an outsourced HR provider that relies on only one or two credentialed professionals.

Employers can draw on our expertise in a variety of ways throughout the employee lifecycle and during complex workplace situations. Depending on the situation, support may include:

• Participating in manager strategy discussions before difficult employee conversations
• Helping prepare talking points and communication plans
• Drafting corrective action forms, performance improvement plans, warning notices, and other documentation
• Reviewing investigation findings and helping employers evaluate available options
• Conducting or assisting with workplace investigations when an objective third party is appropriate
• Completing a risk analysis before an employment decision
• Attending meetings alongside managers when additional HR expertise or support is needed
• Helping employees understand termination letters, severance packages, return of company belongings, and related next steps

The employer remains responsible for its workforce and makes the final employment decisions. Ataraxis works alongside the employer to help put those decisions into action.

That partnership also gives employers access to expertise beyond Employee Relations. When a workplace issue involves HR Compliance, People Operations, payroll and tax, benefits, or workers’ compensation, the HR Business Partner can draw on specialists across Ataraxis to help keep the response coordinated.

Employee Relations Support Should Match the Situation

Employee Relations helps employers address workplace concerns with the context, documentation, and HR involvement the situation requires.

Managers may need support preparing for a difficult conversation. A performance issue may require written corrective action. A complaint may lead to an investigation. An employment decision may require risk analysis and careful preparation before the employer moves forward. As those situations develop, HR Compliance or People Operations may also need to become part of the response.

Ataraxis works alongside employers throughout that process. Our team can help assess the situation, prepare managers, draft documentation, participate in conversations, support investigations, and help carry employment decisions through the steps that follow.

For employers, that means Employee Relations support goes beyond knowing what should happen next. The partnership continues into the work required to move forward.

If your organization is reviewing how workplace issues are handled or where managers may need more Employee Relations support, Ataraxis is always available to talk through where a more hands-on HR partnership could help.