When Employee Issues Get Complicated, You Don’t Have to Handle Them Alone

When employee issues get complicated, trying to handle them solo can be overwhelming, risky, and emotionally draining. Whether you’re facing a policy violation, growing team tension, or a challenging manager-employee relationship, The Hazel Group provides experienced, third-party HR support to help you address issues professionally, strategically, and in compliance with employment best practices.

We specialize in employee relations and we’re available on a project basis when you need help resolving difficult situations with care and clarity.

What Types of Situations Can We Help With?

The Hazel Group offers discreet, high-impact support when internal challenges arise. Here are just a few examples of the kinds of issues we regularly help business owners and HR teams manage:

Policy Violations or Misconduct Investigations

When an employee crosses a line, whether it's a breach of policy, behavior issue, or suspected misconduct, we step in to:

• Speak confidentially with involved parties

• Document the facts in an objective, compliant format

• Recommend appropriate actions that minimize risk and maintain fairness

• Support communication to the employee if needed

Team Friction, Culture Concerns, or Low Morale

Sometimes things just feel off in a team—but it’s hard to pinpoint why. We can:

• Diagnose underlying issues through confidential feedback or group observation

• Coach teams to improve communication and trust

• Facilitate difficult conversations between employees or departments

• Recommend short- and long-term actions to improve culture and collaboration

Manager/Employee Conflict or Performance Struggles

When tension arises between a manager and a team member, or when performance concerns start to escalate, we help:

• Mediate discussions between managers and direct reports

• Coach managers on constructive feedback and documentation

• Create performance improvement plans or coaching frameworks

• Help retain valuable employees through better support and clarity

Sensitive Terminations or Exit Planning

Letting someone go is never easy and getting it wrong can expose your business to liability. We provide:

• Guidance on documentation and compliance

• Talking points and step-by-step action plans for termination meetings

• Post-exit support for remaining staff or leadership teams

Employee Complaints or Harassment Concerns

If an employee raises a serious concern, you need to act swiftly and fairly. We can:

• Lead or advise on internal investigations

• Create appropriate documentation and follow-up processes

• Ensure compliance with federal/state guidelines and internal policy

• Support communication that protects both employee dignity and company liability

Coaching & Support for Internal HR or Owners

Even experienced HR professionals and people-focused owners sometimes need a second opinion. We can:

• Advise HR staff on how to handle complex employee relations issues

• Provide scripts, documentation templates, or suggested approaches

• Offer regular mentorship or as-needed coaching on best practices

Project-Based or Ongoing Support - You Decide

The Hazel Group offers all of these services on a project basis so if a one-time issue comes up, we can step in quickly and help you resolve it without the need for a long-term contract.

However, if you’d like ongoing access to expert HR support without hiring a full-time staff member, we also offer a monthly retainer option. This allows us to:

• Be on-call to respond to employee issues as they arise

• Coach business owners and HR teams through challenging moments

• Serve as a strategic advisor for internal culture, compliance, or team performance

You Don’t Have to Navigate This Alone

If you’re dealing with an employee situation and unsure what to do next, let’s talk. We bring clear thinking, HR expertise, and a calm, neutral presence to your people challenges.

Whether your business has no internal HR and needs a fractional, outsourced HR partner, or you have an existing HR team that could benefit from experienced guidance and leadership, we’re here to support you. We can step in to lead employee relations matters directly or coach your internal team to handle them with greater confidence and clarity.

Reach out to schedule a free 30-minute consultation and learn how we can help.