What Is Employee Relations? Definition + Career Guide

What is employee relations? 

Employee relations refer to an organisation’s efforts to maintain positive employee relationships. Good employee relations goals include inspiring employee loyalty, increasing engagement, reducing turnover, and creating a positive company culture. 

In your research into employee relations (ER), you may find that this discipline shares similarities with human resources (HR). In addition, some companies may use ER and HR interchangeably, while others may outline distinct functions and responsibilities for professionals in each discipline. 

Explore some of the possible differences to keep in mind with the chart below. 

Companies can use numerous tactics to optimise relations with employees, including:

• Regarding employees as stakeholders and contributors to the company  

• Seeking employee input when making company-wide decisions 

• Addressing employee health and safety 

• Creating a sense of belonging, even with an increase in remote work in the wake of COVID-19

• Sponsoring employee-led resource groups (ERGs) around shared characteristics such as gender, lifestyle, ethnicity, religious affiliation, or interest   

• Coaching employees to perform at their best level

• Taking a stand on issues employees care about, such as social justice or climate change

• Supporting career growth and professional development  

Employee relations examples

If you’re in an employee relations role, you will likely participate in several junctures of an employee’s experience with your company. Examples include:  

• Onboarding new employees 

• Managing conflicts among staff 

• Analysing performance 

• Establishing health and safety practices

• Helping employees manage work-life balance 

• Offering events and incentives outside of work 

According to the 2021 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends survey, 20 percent of respondents (HR executives) identified employee well-being as essential to how the workplace should be reimagined [1]. 

Employee relations jobs

Employee relations is a broad yet specialised field encompassing positions ranging from specialists and advisors to managers and directors. As of June 2024, Indeed has over 11,000 employee relations job listings, suggesting the ongoing demand for those with skills and qualifications in this area. However, it’s essential that, as you research your career options in this field, be sure to examine each employee's job description and requirements to find jobs that align with your interests, qualifications, and career goals. 

While no set qualifications are defined as strict requirements for entering this field, having a degree in human resources or business administration is common. Some employers may prefer to see a master’s or MBA or credentials from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), which offers four levels of employee relations standards ranging from Foundation to Chartered Fellow. 

The following list offers four examples of employee relations roles. 

Employee relations director

Average annual base salary: £117,383 [2]

This senior-level role oversees managers and specialists and makes executive decisions surrounding policies and procedures that ensure smooth operational capacity and positive interpersonal interactions. You might also track trends, evaluate how business decisions affect the organisation’s employees, and oversee strategic planning surrounding employee relations. 

Employee relations manager

Average annual base salary: £48,191 [3]

Employee relations managers lead employee relations teams within a company and oversee the work of team members. Additional duties might include collaborating with company leaders on setting policy and training managers in best practices in employee relations. 

Employee relations specialist 

Average annual base salary: £50,854 [4]

Employee relations specialists promote employee well-being, including assisting with work-related challenges and helping employees enhance their performance. Working in this role, you may also advise employees on how to comply with government and company policies. 

Employee relations advisor

Average annual base salary: £33,559 [5]

Employee relations advisors support companies’ human resources departments on policies and procedures, decision-making, recruitment, training, and more. In this position, you will likely also ensure that employers and employees know current and upcoming regulations and remain compliant with relevant policies and processes. 

How to build positive employee relations 

Developing employee relations benefits everyone involved. Explore four methods to help achieve the goal in your current or future role. 

1. Create an employee relations strategy. 

Having a clear strategy can make it easier to implement employee relations efforts and measure their results. Three steps can help put this into action: 

• Identify employee relations goals, such as increasing employee engagement, improving employees’ performance, and reducing employee turnover.

• Identify your actions to achieve these goals, such as conducting exit interviews with departing employees and using insights to enhance current employees’ experiences. Another action might be to improve employee appreciation by offering gifts, rewards, and other recognition for excellence. 

• Identify the metrics you’ll use to measure progress. For example, you might track employee engagement according to the number of employees who attend non-mandatory meetings or company social events. 

2. Define company culture. 

A strong company culture that employees believe in can inspire them to stay with the company longer and even perform better in their roles. Try the following three steps to begin: 

• Work with leaders to refine the company’s values and mission statement and identify ways to connect the values and mission to employees' work.

• Unite employees around the company’s long-term vision by inviting employees to share what it means to them.

• Specify and strengthen the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Share these efforts with employees and request their input.   

3. Establish open and honest communication. 

Streamlining internal communication among managers, employees, and leaders can contribute to a healthier workplace and encourage everyone to share valuable ideas by taking steps like the following: 

• Invite employees to discuss their challenges openly regularly and schedule time to listen to employees’ experiences, thoughts, and feelings. 

• Work with managers to develop documentation of new policies and procedures. Documentation might include demo videos or written instructions. 

• Ask employees about their career goals and how their work aligns with them. 

Explore employee relations with Coursera. 

Employee relations is a broad field and can provide various opportunities across many industries. With the right skills and experience, you can make a difference for companies and employees. You’ll engage in tasks like optimising company policies and procedures and shaping a positive company culture that ensures everyone receives fair treatment and adequate resources for success. 

Continue learning about employee relations and developing skills to help you succeed with online programmes on Coursera. For example, you can begin learning the fundamentals with Employee Relations, a beginner-friendly course from HRCI. You can also go deeper with options like HRCI’s Human Resource Associate Professional Certificate, which can add a credential to boost your CV.