HR Generalist, Employee Engagement

Piedmont National Corporation; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Piedmont National Corporation is seeking an HR Generalist to partner with employees and managers across the business, handling daily HR operations with a focus on engagement and culture.

This hands-on role covers recruiting coordination, onboarding, benefits administration, payroll support, employee relations, compliance, and event planning to strengthen our family‑owned culture as we grow.

Qualifications

• Experience building and running employee engagement programs for mixed workforces.
• Knowledge of employment law and HR best practices.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Strong organizational skills; manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Proficiency with HRIS and Microsoft Office; Canva.
• High standards of confidentiality and integrity.
• Experience budgeting and vendor management for events.
• Familiar with recognition platforms and engagement survey tools.
• Approachable and trustworthy in handling employee questions.
• Creative and energetic; turn ideas into memorable events.
• Detail-oriented; juggling events and leave files.
• Adaptable; switch between strategic and hands-on work.
• Collaborative; build relationships with managers and leaders.
• Willing to travel and work evenings/weekends for events.

Responsibilities

• Design, launch, and manage engagement programs across branches.
• Plan and execute company events; manage budgets and vendors.
• Assist leadership with sales meetings, trainings, and customer events.
• Create engagement surveys; analyze results and act on insights.
• Serve as a culture ambassador for a family-owned business.
• Manage monthly birthday/anniversary communications and internal announcements.
• Cross-train to support recruiting, onboarding, and offboarding.
• Support benefits enrollment, open enrollment, and leaves.
• Maintain HRIS data and support payroll inputs.
• Assist with employee relations investigations and coaching.
• Support performance management processes and development planning.
• Ensure compliance with FMLA, ADA, FLSA, EEO, and related laws.
• Partner with operations and safety on safety programs and workers’ comp.
• Contribute to training for hourly and salaried staff.
• Front-desk duties: answer calls and greet visitors; manage access.
• Be the face and voice of Piedmont National corporate office.

Skills

Employee engagement

Event planning

Communication

Organizational skills

HRIS

Microsoft Office

Canva

Confidentiality

Budgeting

Vendor management

Recognition platforms

Engagement surveys

Adaptability

Collaboration

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR

1-3+ years HR generalist

PHR/SHRM-CP certification

Tools

HRIS

Microsoft Office

Canva

ADP Workforce Now

Job description

Job Summary

The HR Generalist is a hands‑on partner to employees and managers across the business, covering the full range of day‑to‑day HR work, with a special emphasis on employee engagement and event planning. Piedmont National is a family‑owned packaging business built on long‑term relationships, practical problem‑solving, and the belief that a company is only as strong as its people. Our team members aren’t just headcount; many have been with us for years, and we intend to keep it that way. We’re looking for an HR Generalist who will help us keep that culture strong as we grow. Duties and

Responsibilities

Employee Engagement & Culture

• Assist Director of Corporate Engagement to design, launch, and manage engagement programs that build connection and morale across all branches and departments, including recognition programs, milestone and service‑anniversary celebrations, and employee appreciation initiatives.
• Assist Director of Corporate Engagement to plan and execute company events such as holiday gatherings, volunteer outings, team‑building activities, and wellness challenges, managing budgets, vendors, logistics, and communications from start to finish.
• Assist Sales Executive Leadership team as needed to plan and execute sales‑specific meetings, training, or customer appreciation events such as annual National Sales Meeting, packaging expos, trade shows, and recruiting events.
• Create engagement surveys, pulse checks, and feedback channels; analyze results and partner with leadership to turn insights into action.
• Serve as a culture ambassador, helping preserve the values of a family‑owned business while welcoming new people and ideas.
• Send out monthly birthday and anniversary communication, maintain company phone list, and develop other internal communications (newsletters, bulletin boards, digital announcements) that reach both onsite and offsite employees.

Core HR Operations

• Cross‑train and support the full employee lifecycle: recruiting coordination, onboarding, orientation, and offboarding.
• Cross‑train and support benefits enrollment, open enrollment, leave of absence, and other benefits.
• Maintain accurate employee records and HRIS data, and support payroll processing inputs.
• Assist with employee relations matters, including investigations, documentation, and coaching for supervisors, with discretion and fairness.
• Support performance management processes, including review cycles and development planning.
• Help ensure compliance with federal and state employment laws (FMLA, ADA, FLSA, EEO, and others) and keep policies and handbooks current.
• Partner with operations and safety teams to support workplace safety programs, workers’ compensation reporting, and return‑to‑work efforts.
• Contribute to training and development initiatives for hourly and salaried employees.

Front-Desk Duties

• Answer inbound calls and direct calls to correct person or department.
• Provide access to lobby and 1600 Bldg. (both have key‑card access, visitors must be buzzed in).
• Be the face and voice of Piedmont National corporate office and provide excellent first impression to customers, vendors, and employees.

Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience building and running employee engagement programs and planning events, ideally for a mixed workforce that includes office, warehouse, and sales employees.
• Working knowledge of employment law and HR best practices.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to connect comfortably with employees at every level.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Proficiency with HRIS platforms and Microsoft Office and Canva.
• High standards of confidentiality, judgment, and integrity.
• Experience with budgeting and vendor management for events.
• Familiarity with recognition platforms and engagement survey tools.
• Approachable and trustworthy: employees feel comfortable bringing you questions and concerns.
• Creative and energetic: you enjoy turning an idea into an event people talk about for months.
• Detail‑oriented: you can juggle a catered lunch for 200 and a leave‑of‑absence file in the same afternoon.
• Adaptable: comfortable moving between strategic projects and hands‑on tasks.
• Collaborative: you build strong relationships with managers, supervisors, and leadership alike.
• Willing to occasionally travel and/or work evenings or weekends (for events).
• Education/Experience/

Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Psychology, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 1‑3+ years of progressive HR generalist experience.
• PHR, SHRM‑CP, or similar certification (or working towards certification).
• ADP Workforce Now experience a plus (including ADP Home Page, ADP survey tool). NOTE: The physical demands and work environment characteristics described below are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made, upon request, to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions. Physical Demands: Administrative Support Workers primarily perform sedentary work involving extended periods of sitting or standing at a workstation. The role requires frequent computer use, document handling, and verbal and written communication. Employees must be able to exchange information in person, by phone, and electronically. Limited movement within the office and occasional trips to warehouse or meeting areas may occur. Employees may occasionally lift or move materials up to 25–30 pounds, consistent with ADA guidance for general office roles.

Work Environment

Work is performed in a professional, climate‑controlled office setting with a generally quiet noise level. Occasional exposure to moderate noise or environmental changes may occur when visiting warehouse areas or off‑site locations.