Human Resources - Office of Employee Relations
Our Role
Employee Relations is concerned with maintaining the employee/manager or co-worker relationships that contribute to the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School’s high performance culture. Essentially, the Office of Employee Relations assists with preventing and resolving issues involving individuals that arise out of or affect work situations.
Our Responsibilities
- To serve as a resource to employees and managers to promote and maintain positive work relations at UMass Chan.
- To offer confidential consultation, facilitation and resolution strategies for workplace issues.
- To assist in establishing and heightening mutual trust and acceptance within the UMass Chan community.
- To provide fair, reliable and effective solutions in a timely fashion.
Our Partners
The Office of Employee Relations collaborates with the Diversity & Inclusion Office, the Office of Faculty Affairs, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Employee Health Services and the Department of Public Safety.
Our Services & Resources
For Managers:
Workplace Investigations & Safety: Employee Relations works in collaboration with department management and other administrative offices when conducting investigations regarding alleged misconduct and violations of UMass Chan policy and workplace violence including a risk assessment.
Performance Management: Employee Relations works in collaboration with department management on the elements of the performance management program, addressing and correcting unsatisfactory performance.
Disciplinary Processes: Employee Relations supports department management on the process for administering disciplinary action when required.
For Employees:
Grievances Process: Employee Relations provides guidance regarding the grievances available to employees to grieve certain actions by management.
Exit Interview Services: Employee Relations provides exit interviews to capture structured feedback from former employees and identify their primary reasons for leaving, as well as what they liked and didn’t like about our institution. Reports will assist us with employee retention highlighting the main concerns employees share regarding the institution.
For Managers & Employees:
Consultations: Employee Relations is available to both management and employees in discussing workplace issues. We can assist in policy interpretation and help both employees and supervisors to think through available options for addressing situations and approaching work-related conversations. We provide coaching and mentoring to managers and employees. You can learn more about our Employee Relations consultation services, our facilitated conversation counseling, and our training programs by contacting us.
New Hire Onboarding Services:Employee Relations provides support during the onboarding of new hires. We will consult management and new hires during this “probationary period” and support the communications between both parties about what is going well and what needs improvement. We check in with employees during their probationary period as well as their managers which provide the foundation for discussions regarding effective training opportunities for skill development, as well as regular, accurate feedback regarding work performance for new hires.
Our Team
Our team of Employee Relations Consultants has many years of experience including coaching and counseling at all levels of the organization on a wide variety of issues as well as a thorough understanding of employment law, the UMass Chan collective bargaining agreements, mediation, conflict resolution tactics, and the UMass Chan policies and procedures.
An Employee Relations Consultant is assigned to work with each UMass Chan department. To find your Employee Relations Consultant, visit our website.
FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE, CONTACT US AT:
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Human Resources Department 333 South Street,
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
p 508-856-5260 – Press #5 | e Relations@umassmed.edu | w www.umassmed.edu/hr/