Employee Relations Business Partner

There has never been a more exciting time to join Workdry International.  The company has seen enormous growth over the last few years and there are further plans to expand in 2025 and beyond.  We have a successful and stable business, and we know our planned expansion means we need the right people in place to support our branches and managers as we grow.  This starts with our HR team and a five-year HR plan to ensure sustainability of the business and investment back into our people.

We’re embarking on a whole new era for Workdry with new systems, policies and practices, so this is a real opportunity for someone to embrace the role and play a crucial part in shaping how our business will look in three, five, even ten years’ time. 

We’re looking for an experienced Employee Relations Business Partner to join the HR team at our Head Office in Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire. 

This role will complement our current Advice and Guidance team, working with service delivery to deliver true business partnering within the organisation, to our managers and senior leaders.

If you’re passionate about contributing to a positive and productive workplace environment and have the resilience and energy to partner with and influence others this is the role for you.  You’ll be collaborating with our wider HR Team, whilst being a subject expert in Employment Law and complex Employee Relations casework.  You’ll take ownership of maintaining the Case Management System and have the responsibility of casework across our UK branches.

As Employee Relations Business Partner, you’ll get to:

• Work collaboratively with the business providing comprehensive & timely advice and guidance on all ER issues.
• Act as a key advisor on employee relations matters, managing a range of cases including disciplinary, grievances, disputes, absence management, and performance.
• Provide commercially astute, compliant, and pragmatic advice in alignment with Workdry’s culture and policies.
• Lead and resolve complex ER cases, working closely with managers and providing support to mitigate risk while ensuring fair treatment for all employees.
• Coach and influence line managers to build their knowledge and capability, enhancing their skills in managing employee-related concerns.
• Own the input, organisation, and maintenance of the Case Management System (CMS) and ensure all ER case data is accurately recorded.
• Provide expert employment law guidance – statute & case law - taking into account company precedents, ensuring the business executes its legal duties diligently.
• Travel to various parts of the UK business regularly, to partner with managers and senior leaders.

Qualifications & Experience

• Qualifications: CIPD Level 5 or above preferred – or relevant worked experience.
• Experience: Solid background in employee relations, with experience in managing complex casework in a fast-paced environment.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work closely with leaders at various levels to elevate their people management skills and foster a culture of accountability and independence in ER matters.
• Expertise: Comprehensive knowledge of employment law, ER practices, and HR policy implementation.
• Skills: Excellent interpersonal, influencing, and problem-solving skills with a proactive and solutions-focused approach.
• Communication: Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels of the organisation.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in HR systems and data analysis to support ER insights and reporting.

You will need to have the flexibility to travel to various parts of the business when required, including overnight stays.  For this reason, you will need to have a full UK driving licence.

At Workdry we can offer real career opportunities and the ability to develop in your role.  This isn’t just something we say, many of our directors have been promoted internally, career development is something we truly value.

We understand balancing work and life commitments isn’t always easy, that’s why we’ve designed our benefits package to support you in all areas of life.  As standard we have 3 days in the office, 2 days working from home, and we also have a Christmas closure to give you a better balance.

This role comes with a car, and a quarterly & annual bonus scheme. Amongst our other benefits we also offer a great discount platform which gives you money off or cashback for supermarkets, high street shops, days out, holidays, and many more, giving you a little extra to spend on yourself.  Other benefits include: our medicash scheme (medical expense scheme including access to 24hour online GP services), pension scheme with contributions based on total earnings not just salary, 24 days holiday + 8 Bank Holidays, 3 x life assurance (DIS) and employee assistance programme.

This role is not open to Agencies - Please no calls or emails - Thank you.

EDI Statement

Workdry International Ltd is committed to encouraging equality, diversity, and inclusion among our workforce, and eliminating unlawful discrimination.

We value transparency, respecting others and understanding differences. We give full and fair consideration to all applicants, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. 

As part of your recruitment journey, we are happy to support requests for reasonable adjustments.