McLean Employee Relations Partner-(3303959) - Partners Healthcare System

This is a hybrid role that would require an onsite presence at McLean Hospital at least 1-2 days/week.

The Employee Relations and Labor Relations Partner is a critical role responsible for managing employee relations issues and labor relations matters at McLean Hospital. This position involves providing expert guidance on employment laws, collective bargaining agreements, and labor relations strategies. The role requires a professional with expertise in both employee and labor relations, capable of fostering a positive work environment and ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Employee Relations:
• Lead investigations into employee complaints, grievances, and disciplinary actions, ensuring fair and consistent resolution at McLean Hospital. Consults with HR Director and/or Mass General Brigham Employee & Labor Relations, Office of the General Counsel and other functional departments as needed to successfully investigate and manage employee relations issues.
• Mediate disputes between employees and management, fostering a respectful and inclusive workplace.
• Assist with developing and implementing employee relations strategies that align with the company’s mission and goals.
• Partner with MGB Employee & Labor Relations to provide strategic guidance to management on employee relations issues, offering guidance on best practices and legal compliance.
• Use Mass General Brigham's values to govern decisions, actions, and behaviors. These values guide how we get our work done: Patients, Affordability, Accountability & Service Commitment, Decisiveness, Innovation & Thoughtful Risk; and how we treat each other: Diversity & Inclusion, Integrity & Respect, Learning, Continuous Improvement & Personal Growth, Teamwork & Collaboration
• Provide sound guidance that results in a positive and respectful employee relations environment that is in compliance with federal and state laws and Mass General Brigham policies.

Labor Relations:
• Manage relationships with labor unions and is a member of the team that represents the hospital in collective bargaining negotiations.
• Interpret and administer collective bargaining agreements, ensuring compliance and effective implementation.
• Provide guidance on labor relations issues, including contract interpretation, grievance handling, and arbitration cases.
• Develop and implement labor relations strategies that support the company’s objectives and maintain positive labor-management relations.
Policy Development and Compliance:
• Assist with developing, updating, and enforcing HR policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations.
• Conduct training sessions for managers and employees on employee and labor relations topics, including conflict resolution, performance management, and company policies.
• Stay current with changes in employment and labor legislation and recommend necessary updates to company policies.

Employee Engagement and Culture:
• Promote a positive work environment through initiatives that enhance employee engagement and satisfaction.
• Develop and implement programs that support a diverse and inclusive workplace culture.
• Partners with Organizational Development and Learning Services team to conduct OD analyses and interventions within groups as needed. Interventions may include coaching managers and staff, developing departmental policies and communications, and facilitating training, meetings, and committees. May manage smaller interventions independently, with shadow consultation.
• Collaborates with other areas within Mass General Brigham to provide excellent customer service.
• Diversity & Inclusion, Integrity & Respect, Learning, Continuous Improvement & Personal Growth, Teamwork & Collaboration
Data Analysis and Reporting:
• Utilize HR metrics and analytics to identify trends and develop strategies to address employee and labor relations issues.
• Prepare and present reports on employee and labor relations activities, trends, and outcomes to senior management.
• Use data-driven insights to inform strategic decisions and continuous improvement efforts.
 
Leadership and Mentoring:
• Provide coaching to HR team members and managers on employee and labor relations issues and best practices.
• Liaison between employees/managers and Mass General Brigham central Benefits, Payroll, Commuter Services, and other functions for more complex questions.
• Creates, facilitates, and conducts specialized trainings and presentations as needed, both at the request of senior leadership and proactively. This includes routine presentations to all levels of departmental management and staff at senior leadership meetings, retreats, department-wide meetings, and smaller group meetings. Subjects and topics include HR policies and procedures and communication of initiatives impacting the department.

Compliance and Risk Management:
• Ensure compliance with all applicable employment laws and regulations.
• Develop and enforce HR policies and procedures to mitigate risks and promote a safe work environment.
• Stay abreast of industry trends and legislative changes to proactively address potential impacts on the organization.
• Provides subject matter expertise, market knowledge, and knowledge of the operations of business partners.
• Conducts dialogue for Accommodation requests.

HR Policies, Terms, & Conditions of Employment

• Provides leadership training and guidance around policy application where necessary.
• Acts as resource on committees and sub-committees for Mass General Brigham HR initiatives; provides support and assistance leading HR efforts as needed to assigned business units.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• A combination of education and experience may be substituted for requirements
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• At least 3 years in Employee/Labor or HR Business Partner role
• Must have experience with employee relations and investigations

Skills/Abilities/Competencies:

• Possess strong interpersonal skills to effectively communicate with cross-functional teams including staff at all levels of the organization
• Ability to successfully negotiate and collaborate with others of different skill sets, backgrounds and levels within and external to the organization
• Strong problem-solving and negotiation skills
• Ability to effectively conduct meetings, both formal and informal
• Requires minimal direction from leadership and possesses the ability to learn quickly
• Data compilation and analysis skills using tools including but not limited to Tableau and Excel.

Working Conditions:

• Local travel to Mass General Brigham sites
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; talk; or hear; use hands to finger; handle; or feel; reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; and stoop; kneel; or crouch. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 5 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and depth perception.
• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Normal office working conditions. The noise level in the work environment is quiet to moderate.

About Us:

As a not-for-profit organization, Mass General Brigham is committed to supporting patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community by leading innovation across our system. Founded by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Mass General Brigham supports a complete continuum of care including community and specialty hospitals, a managed care organization, a physician network, community health centers, home care and other health-related entities. Several of our hospitals are teaching affiliates of Harvard Medical School, and our system is a national leader in biomedical research.

We’re focused on a people-first culture for our system’s patients and our professional family. That’s why we provide our employees with more ways to achieve their potential. Mass General Brigham is committed to aligning our employees’ personal aspirations with projects that match their capabilities and creating a culture that empowers our managers to become trusted mentors. We support each member of our team to own their personal development—and we recognize success at every step.

Our employees use the Mass General Brigham values to govern decisions, actions and behaviors. These values guide how we get our work done: Patients, Affordability, Accountability & Service Commitment, Decisiveness, Innovation & Thoughtful Risk; and how we treat each other: Diversity & Inclusion, Integrity & Respect, Learning, Continuous Improvement & Personal Growth, Teamwork & Collaboration.

Mass General Brigham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.