Foundations of Employee Relations Strategy

• Understanding employee relations in the modern workplace
• Aligning employee relations with organizational culture and HR strategy
• Key responsibilities of HR and line managers in managing relations
• The employee experience lifecycle and its impact on engagement
• Identifying early signs of employee dissatisfaction
• Workshop: Diagnosing the root causes of workplace tension

Workplace Ethics, Fairness, and the Psychological Contract

• Ethics, values, and respect in employee relations
• Defining and sustaining a culture of integrity and inclusion
• The psychological contract and employee expectations
• Ethical dilemmas and conflicts of interest in the workplace
• Creating and communicating a fair workplace code of conduct
• Activity: Group discussion on ethical gray areas

Handling Complaints, Grievances, and Investigations

• Understanding formal vs. informal complaints
• Structuring an effective grievance resolution process
• Conducting objective workplace investigations
• Protecting confidentiality, neutrality, and due process
• Legal and reputational risks in poor complaint handling
• Simulation: Investigating a workplace harassment complaint

Managing Performance and Disciplinary Issues

• Identifying poor performance, misconduct, and behavioral issues
• Progressive discipline: from coaching to corrective action
• Legal compliance and documentation essentials
• Managing difficult conversations and disciplinary meetings
• Handling emotional or resistant employees
• Role-play: Delivering a performance warning or termination notice

Measuring, Reporting, and Sustaining Healthy Relations

• Metrics and KPIs to assess employee relations health
• Using employee feedback, surveys, and exit interviews
• Developing an employee relations dashboard
• Continuous improvement in employee relations practices
• Building a proactive ER strategy for the future
• Final workshop: Designing a customized ER action plan