Over 20 years of Human Resources Experience

Naomi M. Lahners, Manager, Labor/Employee Relations

BA Business Management/Psychology (double major)
MA Industrial Relations
Certified Labor Relations Specialist

INVESTIGATING

Investigated charges of alleged discrimination based on race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, disability or other protected class, and makes recommendations to senior leadership review with legal counsel.

Conducted investigations and made employment recommendations regarding staff, supervisory, or managerial wrongdoing, including, but not limited to:

• theft
• substance abuse on the job
• diversion
• inadequate job performance
• policy violation
• bullying
• threats of violence or physical assault against another employee
• harassment
• intimidation
• intentional misuse, abuse of, or damage to company property
• theft or misuse of company funds, property or services
• subpar customer service
• gross employee misconduct
• insubordination
• breach of confidentiality

FACILITATING

Facilitated organization-wide communication and assisted with upstream and downstream messaging.

Facilitated in-house work teams utilizing forms and strategies including focus groups, consensus building, interest-based problem solving, consultative decisions, conflict resolution, interpersonal conflict, role negotiation, task groups, change implementation, strategic planning and developing departmental missions, visions, and values.

Represented the organization and senior leadership in labor relations, including the preparation, negotiation, language construction, interpretation, finalization, and administration of collective bargaining agreements.

COACHING/ADVISING

Made recommendations and coached leadership regarding effective union avoidance, both ongoing and throughout multiple organizing drives.

Developed programs and tools to educate managers in effective customer service skills, policy enforcement, attendance monitoring, employee relations, and in the requirements regarding counseling, corrective action, and termination of employees, etc. Among the tools that I have developed are:

• “Managing Behavior that Undermines a Culture of Safety”
• “Our Attendance is Essential”
• “Individual Engagement During the Onboarding Process”
• “Avoidance of Union Organizing Handbook”

Developed/coordinated/facilitated 3-day manager orientation for all new leadership.

Advised and assisted all levels of leadership with legal and union contract compliance, grievance, discipline and termination issues, and interpretation and application of personnel policies and procedures, working with legal counsel as needed on legally sensitive issues.

COMMUNICATION

Planned and organized a program of employee and labor union relations to prevent and mediate employee disputes and grievances. Met with grievant, union representatives, and/or supervisors to resolve grievances.

Wrote and revised organization wide Human Resources policies and procedures to facilitate the accomplishment of senior leadership’s goals and the organization’s mission, vision and values, especially those impacting employee working conditions, benefits, grievances, discipline, and terminations.

Gathered information on employees’ and leadership’s attitudes and feelings about issues affecting worker morale, motivation, and efficiency and reported findings to senior leadership. This collection has occurred via varied methods over time including Gallup, AON, in-house surveys, Direct Line, and informal means. Identified, analyzed and facilitated solutions to labor and employee relations problems.

Developed and/or managed multiple and varied projects such as 101 Best and Brightest nomination and application, Right Words for the Right Time, Words that Work, integration of Just Culture tenets and several iterations of the development of employee handbooks, 360-degree feedback, and job description and evaluation format and resources.