Transforming Global Employee & Labor Relations Leaders of the Future

A new HR Policy Global report, The Evolving Role of Global Employee & Labor Relations Leaders – From “International Firefighter” to “Global Future-Looking Strategist,” is now available to all HRPA members.

The report empowers CHROs and global ER/LR leaders by providing clear, actionable insights into the evolving employee/labor relations roles and function, helping them to elevate the role to meet future business needs. 

Why it matters: As the ER/LR role has evolved, leaders require the knowledge and experience to drive corporate initiatives across regions and resolve local conflicts as experts. 

• Going forward, the role needs to move beyond reactive, multi-country firefighting to the establishment of a forward-looking global employee relations strategy. 

Future success will rely on strategic leadership, organizational clarity, cross- functional cooperation, and enhancing line managers' people management skills. Recommended steps include:

• Develop a global risk map: Identify potential employee relations risks for your business.  

• Integrate LR/ER into HR strategy: Ensure employee relations are a key component of your HR strategy.  

• Assess current LR/ER capability: Compare your current capabilities against the risk map.  

• Create an ER health dashboard: Monitor employee relations health using HR and business performance indicators.  

• Develop an LR events calendar: Include important dates for bargaining processes and works council elections.  

• Establish ER presence in key teams: Include ER in teams handling sustainability, AI tools, pay equity, contract workers, DE&I, and crisis management.  

• Routine ER issue reporting: Set up a team and routine for reporting and acting on major ER issues. 

Read the report and join our upcoming webinar, The Evolving Role of Global Employee & Labor Relations Leaders on Wednesday, December 11, 12:00 - 1:00 pm ET featuring Brunswick Corporation’s Jill Wrobel, CHRO, and Meredith Ray, Global ER/LR Lead.