Employee Relations Partner

About Gusto

Gusto is a modern, online people platform that helps small businesses take care of their teams. On top of full-service payroll, Gusto offers health insurance, 401(k)s, expert HR, and team management tools. Today, Gusto offices in Denver, San Francisco, and New York serve more than 300,000 businesses nationwide.

Our mission is to create a world where work empowers a better life, and it starts right here at Gusto. That’s why we’re committed to building a collaborative and inclusive workplace, both physically and virtually. Learn more about our Total Rewards philosophy. 

About the Role:

Gusto is seeking a dynamic and experienced HR professional to take on a unique and critical role within our organization. As an Employee Relations Partner, you will be the primary advisor and coach to our frontline managers and skip-levels, facilitating their growth and development while ensuring people practices are aligned with our strategic goals. We are looking for talented individuals who can balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution, adapting their approach as needed. 

This role is a key driver in fostering a culture of performance enablement, inclusivity, and respect within the Gusto community; ultimately enabling Gusto to live into its promise of being the global People Platform. As the People Team continues to build and grow our shared services model, the Employee Relations Partners will be key players within the model and provide 1:1 connection between the business and People Team.

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

• Employee Concerns & Conflict: Manage all aspects of addressing employee concerns, workplace conflict resolution, and promoting a harmonious and inclusive work environment through investigations, developing disciplinary action plans, and mediating conversations. 
• Performance Management: Coach and support managers in setting clear performance expectations, providing regular feedback, and addressing development needs to foster an environment of continuous improvement. Facilitate implementation of performance management plans and offboarding.
• Talent Development: Identify training and development opportunities, design and facilitate learning programs in partnership with the Learning & Development team to enhance their leadership capabilities.
• Policy and Compliance: Maintain up-to-date knowledge of HR regulations and ensure managers' adherence to Gusto policies and legal requirements.
• Strategic Alignment: Collaborate with managers and HR teams to ensure HR practices are in harmony with organizational objectives, adapting to ever-evolving business needs.
• Data-Driven Insights: Utilize employee relations analytics and data to identify trends and propose data-based solutions that minimize reactive work.

Here’s what we're looking for:

• Proven experience in HR, with a minimum of 4 years in an HR Generalist role or 2 years in an Employee Relations or HR Business Partner role, separate from any other HR-related work experience (e.g. recruiting, talent development, etc.)
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusion and equity. 
• Exceptional knowledge of HR best practices, employment laws, and industry trends.
• Strong coaching and mentoring skills with the ability to inspire and guide managers effectively.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, facilitating successful collaboration with diverse teams.
• Demonstrated analytical skills to interpret ER metrics and propose actionable insights.
• A strategic thinker capable of aligning ER initiatives with organizational goals.

Nice to have:

• Previous management experience
• Formal education or training in interpersonal communication skills such as, facilitated conversation or mediations, non-violent communication, counseling, coaching, etc. 
• Experience working in a globally distributed company. 

Our cash compensation amount for this role is $90,000/yr to $124,000/yr in Denver & most major metro locations, and $110,000/yr to $150,000/yr for San Francisco & New York. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate location, experience and expertise and may vary from the amounts listed above.

Gusto has physical office spaces in Denver, San Francisco, and New York City. Employees who are based in those locations will be expected to work from the office on designated days approximately 2-3 days per week (or more depending on role). The same office expectations apply to all Symmetry roles, Gusto's subsidiary, whose physical office is in Scottsdale.

Note: The San Francisco office expectations encompass both the San Francisco and San Jose metro areas. 

When approved to work from a location other than a Gusto office, a secure, reliable, and consistent internet connection is required.

Our customers come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it makes our company stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for small businesses, you will find a home at Gusto. 

Gusto is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or any employment decision based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. Gusto considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Gusto is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. We want to see our candidates perform to the best of their ability. If you require a medical or religious accommodation at any time throughout your candidate journey, please fill out this form and a member of our team will get in touch with you.

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