Principal Employee Relations Investigator

Your work days are brighter here.

We're obsessed with making hard work pay off, for our people, our customers, and the world around us. As a Fortune 500 company and a leading AI platform for managing people, money, and agents, we're shaping the future of work so teams can reach their potential and focus on what matters most. The minute you join, you'll feel it. Not just in the products we build, but in how we show up for each other. Our culture is rooted in integrity, empathy, and shared enthusiasm. We're in this together, tackling big challenges with bold ideas and genuine care. We look for curious minds and courageous collaborators who bring sun-drenched optimism and drive. Whether you're building smarter solutions, supporting customers, or creating a space where everyone belongs, you'll do meaningful work with Workmates who've got your back. In return, we'll give you the trust to take risks, the tools to grow, the skills to develop and the support of a company invested in you for the long haul. So, if you want to inspire a brighter work day for everyone, including yourself, you've found a match in Workday, and we hope to be a match for you too.

About the Team

Our Employee Relations team, part of the broader Talent Services and Employee Experience organisation, is a vital partner to the People Consultant team that supports Workday's employees across the EMEA region. We support Workday's organisational and business objectives by managing and resolving complex employee relations matters, with a strong focus on workplace investigations.

About the Role

This is a dynamic opportunity for an experienced Employee Relations practitioner with a deep passion for investigations. You will play a critical role in shaping and refining our investigative processes, ensuring fairness, thoroughness, and consistency across the company. You'll thrive in a fast-paced environment, juggling multiple priorities and stakeholders, and will be instrumental in scaling our capabilities to deliver an exceptional and equitable experience for all Workmates.

• Leading complex, high-risk, and/or sensitive confidential investigations related to employee issues and claims, including allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and other policy violations.
• Conducting end-to-end investigations—from intake and background research to conducting fair and objective interviews and debrief meetings.
• Analysing and synthesising evidence to make factual findings, preparing detailed investigative summaries, and presenting verbal and/or written debriefs to relevant stakeholders.
• Advising and influencing business leaders and HR partners on appropriate actions and recommendations following investigations, balancing legal compliance with business needs.
• Leveraging strong analytical skills to identify systemic issues and trends from ER data/metrics, and partnering with key stakeholders to develop proactive solutions and training programmes.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with business groups, including employees, managers, HR, and Legal, to ensure seamless collaboration throughout the investigation process.
• Anticipating the broader impact of investigative findings and recommendations, identifying alternate courses of action, and facilitating alignment with key stakeholders.
• Partnering with in-house Employment Counsel to navigate legal complexities and mitigate risk to the company.
• Initiating a proactive approach to ER by designing leadership modules on management practices and policy compliance based on investigation trends and themes.

About You

• 10+ years of HR experience
• 5+ years directly managing complex employee relations issues and conducting investigations end-to-end
• Extensive expertise in managing complex employee relations issues, with a demonstrated history of leading end-to-end workplace investigations.
• Experience advising all levels of management on complex employee relations decisions and policy application.
• Global experience preferred
• MBA/MA or JD preferred

• Excellent knowledge of current employment law and best practices in investigations, balancing legal compliance with business needs.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with an ability to analyse evidence and identify the root causes of problems.
• Exceptional ability to maintain discretion and sound judgement while managing sensitive information and complex decisions.
• Exceptional coaching, facilitation, and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong influencing skills that leverage business acumen, expertise, and data.
• Ability to finalise complex investigations quickly to minimise disruption within the organisation.

Our Approach to Flexible Work

With Flex Work, we're combining the best of both worlds: in-person time and remote. Our approach enables our teams to deepen connections, maintain a strong community, and do their best work. We know that flexibility can take shape in many ways, so rather than a number of required days in-office each week, we simply spend at least half (50%) of our time each quarter in the office or in the field with our customers, prospects, and partners (depending on role). This means you'll have the freedom to create a flexible schedule that caters to your business, team, and personal needs, while being intentional to make the most of time spent together. Those in our remote "home office" roles also have the opportunity to come together in our offices for important moments that matter.

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