HR Consultant

CDW; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 91,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits overview

Job summary

CDW is seeking an HR Consultant in Chicago to serve coworkers and managers with trusted guidance on employee relations, policy interpretation, and workplace investigations. You’ll support tier 1 and 2 coworker relations and partner with People Experience leadership to balance business needs with employee experience.

You’ll coach managers, conduct investigations, track trends, and contribute to data-informed decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, Labor Relations, or related field.
• 5+ years in Employee Relations or 9+ years in related roles.
• Experience handling employee relations inquiries.
• Experience interpreting HR policies.
• Experience with policy interpretation, conflict resolution, and manager coaching.
• Risk assessment and stakeholder consultation skills.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, analytical skills; handle sensitive information.

Responsibilities

• Coworker Relations Consultation: guidance on workplace concerns, policy questions, and relations matters.
• Investigations and Case Management: conduct investigations, document findings, and maintain case records.
• Manager Coaching and Support: coach managers on performance, conflict, and policy application.
• Policy Interpretation and Risk Management: apply policies consistently, assess risks, and escalate when needed.
• Data, Reporting, and Workplace Insights: track trends, prepare insights for leaders.
• Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement: improve processes and leverage AI tools.

Skills

Employee relations

Policy interpretation

Investigations

Manager coaching

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Labor Relations, Organizational Development, or related field

Tools

Workday

ServiceNow

Microsoft Office

AI-enabled tools

Job description

The HR Consultant serves as a trusted advisor to coworkers, managers, HR Business Partners, and People Experience stakeholders by providing consultative support on workplace concerns, employee relations matters, policy interpretation, investigations, conflict resolution, and manager guidance. Operating within the HR Solutions Hub, this role manages a defined portfolio of Tier 1 and Tier 2 coworker relations and consultative cases while balancing employee experience, business needs, consistency, and organizational risk. The HR Consultant uses sound judgment, objectivity, and strong business acumen to resolve workplace concerns, conduct investigations, coach leaders, and recommend practical solutions that support positive workplace outcomes. This role combines employee relations expertise with a consultative mindset. Success requires balancing service excellence, policy stewardship, workplace investigations, manager support, and proactive problem solving to create a fair, consistent, and productive workplace experience. As a member of the HR Solutions Hub, the HR Consultant brings the CDW Way to life through professionalism, integrity, accountability, and care in every coworker and stakeholder interaction.

What you'll do

Coworker Relations Consultation

Serve as a trusted point of contact for coworkers and managers regarding workplace concerns, policy questions, employee relations matters, and workplace conflict. Provide balanced, practical guidance that supports resolution while considering coworker experience, business needs, organizational standards, and risk. Support managers and coworkers through sensitive workplace situations with professionalism, objectivity, and empathy. Exercise sound judgment and identify when escalation or additional stakeholder involvement is appropriate. Build trust and credibility through responsiveness, consistency, and quality support.

Investigations and Case Management

Conduct prompt, thorough, and objective workplace investigations involving complaints, policy concerns, and coworker relations matters. Gather and assess information through interviews, documentation review, fact finding, and stakeholder consultation. Document findings, summarize observations, and support recommendations for appropriate resolution. Maintain complete, accurate, and confidential case records throughout the case lifecycle. Ensure timely case progression and closure while maintaining established documentation and quality standards. Apply case management best practices and maintain strong case hygiene standards.

Manager Coaching and Support

Coach managers regarding performance management, workplace conflict, policy application, difficult conversations, and employee concerns. Support leaders in addressing issues proactively. Provide guidance that promotes consistency, accountability, and effective people leadership. Assist managers in navigating sensitive workplace situations while balancing fairness, compliance, and business needs. Support performance improvement planning and related performance conversations when appropriate.

Policy Interpretation and Risk Management

Interpret and apply company policies, handbook provisions, and workplace practices consistently. Assess employee relations situations and identify organizational, legal, or reputational risks. Partner with HR Business Partners, Legal, and People Experience leadership on higher-risk or complex matters. Maintain consistency across decisions while recognizing unique circumstances and business context. Ensure matters are escalated appropriately based on complexity, sensitivity, and risk.

Data, Reporting, and Workplace Insights

Track employee relations and performance management trends, case volume, resolution outcomes, and recurring themes. Analyze case data to identify opportunities for education, process improvements, manager enablement, and workplace effectiveness. Prepare summaries, insights, and recommendations for HR Business Partners, People Experience leaders, and business stakeholders. Surface recurring issues and emerging trends that may require proactive intervention. Support data-informed decision making related to coworker relations and workplace practices.

Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement

Ensure timely resolution of assigned cases while maintaining quality, consistency, fairness, and appropriate documentation. Support the development of resources, tools, knowledge materials, and manager education programs. Recommend improvements that enhance coworker relations processes, service delivery, and stakeholder experiences. Contribute to scalable practices that improve consistency and efficiency across the HR Solutions Hub. Leverage technology and AI-enabled tools appropriately to improve productivity and effectiveness.

What we expect of you

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business, Labor Relations, Organizational Development, or a related field, or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of experience in Employee Relations, Human Resources, HR Operations, workplace investigations, or a related discipline OR 9+ years of experience in Employee Relations, Human Resources, HR Operations, workplace investigations, or a related discipline
• Experience managing employee relations inquiries and workplace concerns.
• Experience interpreting and applying HR policies and workplace practices.
• Demonstrated functional knowledge of Employee Relations consultation, workplace investigations, and case management, including managing sensitive employee matters from intake through resolution.
• Strong experience with policy interpretation, workplace conflict resolution, and manager coaching, providing practical guidance that balances employee and business needs.
• Demonstrated risk assessment, judgment, and stakeholder consultation skills, with the ability to identify risk, determine appropriate next steps, and partner effectively with HR, Legal, and business leaders.
• Strong communication, influence, problem-solving, and analytical skills, including the ability to identify trends and communicate complex or sensitive information with professionalism, confidentiality, and integrity.
• Proficiency with Workday, ServiceNow, and Microsoft Office, with the ability to leverage AI-enabled tools to improve productivity, workflows, analysis, and overall process effectiveness.

Pay range: $91,000 - $120,000 depending on experience and skill set

Annual bonus target of 5% subject to terms and conditions of plan

Benefits overview: https://cdw.benefit-info.com/

We’re looking for people who bring curiosity, a learner's mindset, and a willingness to engage with ever-evolving technology and tools.

CDW is committed to being an AI-fluent organization. We’re looking for people who bring curiosity, a learner’s mindset, and a willingness to engage with ever-evolving technology and tools. We value adopting AI as a partner, openness to experimentation, and a shared interest in learning together on AI. Our goal is to create a culture where AI enhances—not replaces—human creativity and decision-making. You don’t need to be an expert today; what matters is your readiness to explore, adapt, and grow with us as we integrate AI responsibly and effectively into our work. Additionally, CDW is committed to fostering an equitable, transparent, and respectful hiring process for all applicants. During our application process, our goal is to understand your experience, strengths, skills, and qualifications. As an AI forward company, we see AI not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for new ways of thinking, creating, and communicating. We encourage candidates to embrace an AI mindset, one that’s curious, adaptive, and ready to explore what’s possible. We welcome thoughtful use of AI to expand your perspective and elevate how you share your story, while ensuring your application remains rooted in your own background, judgment, and voice.

About Us

CDW is a Fortune 500 technology solutions provider that helps businesses, government, education, and healthcare organizations achieve what's possible through technology. What makes CDW different isn’t just what we do—it’s how we do it. At CDW we act as one—building trust, speaking candidly, and working together to achieve more. We play to win—focusing on what matters most and delivering for our customers. And we think forward—staying curious, moving fast, and continuously learning. We believe meaningful work happens when people feel supported, heard, and empowered to contribute. That’s why we think of ourselves as coworkers, not just employees—working together to solve complex challenges and deliver real impact for our customers and communities. As a full‑stack, full‑lifecycle technology partner, CDW brings deep expertise, strong relationships, and broad industry knowledge to help turn ideas into outcomes. When you join CDW, you become part of a collaborative environment where your work matters, your growth is supported, and your contributions help shape what’s next. Together, we deliver the full promise of what technology can do. Together, we Make Amazing Happen.

CDW is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state and local law.

At CDW, we make technology work so people can do great things. We are a leading multi‑brand technology solutions provider to business, government, education and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Our coworkers across the globe are working together to bring technology to life for our customers by solving complicated IT business challenges, providing outstanding service, and orchestrating the technology landscape to optimize our customers’ performance.