Effective Work Samples for Hiring Top Employee Relations Managers

The Employee Relations Manager role is pivotal in maintaining workplace harmony and organizational health. These professionals serve as the bridge between employees and management, requiring exceptional conflict resolution skills, policy expertise, and the ability to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics with both empathy and objectivity. Hiring the right person for this position can dramatically impact your company's culture, employee retention, and overall operational effectiveness.

Traditional interviews often fail to reveal how candidates will actually perform in high-pressure employee relations situations. While resumes and behavioral questions provide some insights, they don't demonstrate how a candidate will handle a heated workplace conflict, conduct a sensitive investigation, or develop strategies to improve employee engagement. This is where well-designed work samples become invaluable.

Work samples for Employee Relations Manager candidates should simulate the real challenges they'll face on the job. By observing candidates in action—mediating conflicts, analyzing policy violations, developing training materials, or creating engagement strategies—you gain concrete evidence of their capabilities beyond what they claim in interviews.

The exercises outlined below are designed to evaluate the essential competencies identified in the Employee Relations Manager job description: emotional intelligence, analytical thinking, conflict resolution, discretion, and ethical standards. Each exercise includes a feedback component to assess the candidate's coachability—a critical trait for continuous improvement in this evolving field.

By incorporating these work samples into your hiring process, you'll be able to make more informed decisions, reduce hiring mistakes, and identify candidates who can truly excel in maintaining positive employee relations at your organization.

Activity #1: Conflict Mediation Role Play

This role play assesses a candidate's ability to mediate conflicts between employees and management—a core responsibility of an Employee Relations Manager. The exercise evaluates conflict resolution skills, emotional intelligence, communication abilities, and the capacity to remain neutral while facilitating productive dialogue. Effective mediation requires balancing multiple perspectives while guiding parties toward a mutually acceptable resolution, making this an excellent predictor of on-the-job success.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare two role players: one to play a frustrated employee and another to play a defensive manager. The scenario should involve a realistic workplace conflict (e.g., disagreement over performance evaluation, perceived favoritism, communication breakdown).
• Provide the candidate with a brief written summary of the conflict 30 minutes before the exercise, including relevant background information and any applicable company policies.
• The role play should last 20-25 minutes, allowing enough time for the candidate to demonstrate their mediation approach.
• Instruct role players to be initially resistant but responsive to effective mediation techniques.
• Record the session (with candidate's permission) for evaluation purposes.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the conflict scenario and any provided company policies.
• Conduct a mediation session between the employee and manager with the goal of facilitating a productive conversation and working toward a resolution.
• Begin by establishing ground rules for the conversation.
• Use active listening, questioning, and summarizing techniques to understand both perspectives.
• Guide the parties toward identifying potential solutions and next steps.
• Conclude with a clear summary of agreements and follow-up actions.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the role play, provide specific feedback on one strength (e.g., "You effectively validated both parties' concerns without taking sides") and one area for improvement (e.g., "You could have explored the underlying issues more deeply before moving to solutions").
• Give the candidate 5 minutes to reflect on the feedback, then ask them to demonstrate how they would handle a specific part of the mediation differently based on the feedback.
• Observe how receptive they are to feedback and their ability to adapt their approach.

Activity #2: Employee Relations Investigation Exercise

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to conduct thorough workplace investigations—a critical skill for addressing employee complaints and ensuring policy compliance. It tests analytical thinking, attention to detail, discretion, and the ability to draw sound conclusions from complex information. How a candidate approaches an investigation reveals their commitment to fairness, confidentiality, and evidence-based decision-making.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a detailed case file for a fictional workplace investigation involving a sensitive issue such as alleged harassment, discrimination, or policy violation.
• Include multiple documents such as: initial complaint, witness statements (with inconsistencies), relevant email exchanges, applicable company policies, and personnel records.
• Ensure the case has nuances and isn't straightforward to solve.
• Allow the candidate 45-60 minutes to review materials and prepare their analysis.
• Provide a quiet space with necessary materials (notepad, laptop, etc.).

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review all case materials thoroughly.
• Identify key issues, inconsistencies, and potential policy violations.
• Determine what additional information you would need to complete the investigation.
• Prepare a written investigation plan that includes:
• Summary of the situation and key facts
• List of additional witnesses you would interview and why
• Specific questions you would ask each party
• Additional evidence you would gather
• Preliminary assessment of potential policy violations
• Recommendations for interim actions (if any)
• Be prepared to discuss your approach and reasoning in a 15-minute debrief.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on one strength in their investigation approach (e.g., "Your attention to the inconsistencies between witness statements was excellent") and one area for improvement (e.g., "Your investigation plan didn't address how you would maintain confidentiality").
• Ask the candidate to revise one section of their investigation plan based on your feedback.
• Evaluate their ability to incorporate feedback and improve their approach.

Activity #3: Employee Relations Training Development

This exercise assesses the candidate's ability to develop and deliver effective training—a key responsibility for Employee Relations Managers who must educate managers and employees on workplace policies and communication. It evaluates instructional design skills, communication abilities, and understanding of adult learning principles. The exercise reveals how candidates translate complex HR concepts into accessible, engaging training materials.

Directions for the Company:

• Provide a specific training need related to employee relations (e.g., "Managers need training on how to have difficult conversations with employees" or "Employees need training on the updated anti-harassment policy").
• Include relevant company materials such as current policies, past training materials, or specific issues that have arisen.
• Allow the candidate 60 minutes to develop a 10-minute training segment.
• Provide necessary materials (whiteboard, markers, laptop, etc.).
• Assemble a small group (2-3 people) to serve as the audience for the training delivery.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Develop a 10-minute training segment on the assigned topic that would be part of a larger training program.
• Create a one-page outline of the full training program, including learning objectives, key content areas, and evaluation methods.
• Prepare any visual aids or handouts you would use.
• Deliver the 10-minute segment to the provided audience.
• Be prepared to explain your instructional choices and how you would adapt the training for different audiences (e.g., senior executives vs. frontline employees).
• Include at least one interactive element in your training segment.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on one strength (e.g., "Your use of realistic scenarios made the content relatable") and one area for improvement (e.g., "The interactive element could be more aligned with the learning objective").
• Ask the candidate to revise or enhance one aspect of their training segment based on your feedback.
• Have them briefly explain or demonstrate the revised approach.
• Evaluate their receptiveness to feedback and ability to quickly improve their work.

Activity #4: Employee Engagement Strategy Development

This exercise evaluates a candidate's strategic thinking and ability to develop proactive employee relations initiatives—moving beyond reactive problem-solving to creating positive workplace environments. It tests analytical skills, creativity, and understanding of organizational dynamics. The exercise reveals how candidates approach complex challenges and their ability to connect employee relations strategies to broader business objectives.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a fictional company profile with relevant details about size, industry, culture, and current employee relations challenges (e.g., high turnover, low engagement scores, communication issues between departments).
• Include mock employee survey results showing specific problem areas.
• Provide basic information about current HR programs and initiatives.
• Allow the candidate 90 minutes to analyze the materials and develop their strategy.
• Prepare questions to probe the candidate's thinking during their presentation.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the company profile and employee survey data.
• Identify 3-5 key employee relations issues that need to be addressed.
• Develop a comprehensive 12-month strategy to improve employee engagement and address the identified issues.
• Your strategy should include:
• Specific initiatives with implementation timelines
• Required resources and stakeholder involvement
• Methods for measuring success
• Potential challenges and mitigation plans
• Connection to broader business objectives
• Prepare a 15-minute presentation of your strategy, followed by 10 minutes of Q&A.
• Create a one-page executive summary to leave with the interviewers.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on one strength (e.g., "Your data-driven approach to identifying priority areas was impressive") and one area for improvement (e.g., "The strategy could better address how to secure buy-in from middle management").
• Ask the candidate to expand on how they would address the improvement area.
• Evaluate their ability to think on their feet and enhance their strategy based on feedback.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much time should we allocate for these work samples?

Each work sample requires different time commitments. Plan for approximately 1-1.5 hours for the conflict mediation role play (including preparation and feedback), 1.5-2 hours for the investigation exercise, 1.5-2 hours for the training development activity, and 2-2.5 hours for the engagement strategy exercise. Consider spreading these across different interview stages rather than conducting all in one day.

Should we use real company data in these exercises?

While using realistic scenarios is important, avoid using actual, identifiable cases or sensitive company data. Create fictional scenarios that mirror your company's typical challenges but don't contain confidential information. This protects your organization and ensures candidates aren't evaluating real colleagues or situations.

What if we don't have staff available to participate in the role play?

If you don't have team members who can serve as role players, consider hiring professional role players or asking HR colleagues from different departments to participate. Alternatively, the hiring manager and another interviewer can play these roles, though this may make objective evaluation more challenging.

How should we evaluate candidates across these different exercises?

Create a standardized evaluation rubric for each exercise that aligns with the key competencies in your job description. Rate candidates on specific observable behaviors rather than general impressions. Have multiple evaluators when possible, and discuss ratings after all candidates have completed the exercises to ensure consistency.

What if a candidate performs well in some exercises but poorly in others?

Consider which exercises most closely align with the critical day-to-day responsibilities of your specific Employee Relations Manager role. A candidate who excels at conflict mediation but struggles with strategic planning might be perfect for a role focused primarily on case management, while a different profile might suit a role with more emphasis on program development.

How can we make these exercises inclusive for candidates with different backgrounds?

Ensure scenarios don't require specific industry knowledge unless absolutely necessary for the role. Provide clear instructions and adequate preparation time. Be mindful of potential biases in evaluation and focus on the effectiveness of approaches rather than specific stylistic preferences. Offer reasonable accommodations when requested.

The hiring process for an Employee Relations Manager deserves careful attention and a thoughtful approach. By incorporating these practical work samples, you'll gain valuable insights into how candidates will actually perform in this critical role. Remember that the best Employee Relations Managers combine technical HR knowledge with exceptional interpersonal skills and strategic thinking—qualities that these exercises are designed to reveal.

For additional support in building a comprehensive hiring process for your Employee Relations Manager role, explore Yardstick's suite of AI-powered hiring tools. Our AI Job Description Generator, AI Interview Question Generator, and AI Interview Guide Generator can help you create a consistent, effective hiring process that identifies truly exceptional talent. For more insights on hiring Employee Relations Managers, check out our detailed Employee Relations Manager job description.

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