Benita Patel

I’m a Director of Employee Relations who promotes strong company culture, builds a more enjoyable workplace, and saves employers money by designing, developing, and leading effective employee relations programs and procedures. Leveraging my background as a Labor and Employee Relations Attorney and nearly 10 years of corporate employee relations experience, I help companies conduct confidential and neutral investigations into discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. I also provide guidance and recommendations on next steps after an investigation to implement organizational changes designed to prevent future issues and maintain a strong company culture. Further, I review data and trends from investigations and exit interviews to help design, develop, or enhance programs that will cultivate a healthy organization. I have experience conducting investigations ranging from individual contributors to C-suite executives as well as a wide range of experience in different sectors (engineering, banking, sales, installers, electricians, etc.), so I understand the intricacies of different business organizations and the employee relations issues that arise out of them. Most recently, I spent 5 years at Tesla, advancing from Senior Partner to Director of Employee Relations as the company’s headcount nearly tripled from 37K to nearly 100K during my tenure. Expertise: • 8+ yrs in Workplace Investigations • 4 yrs in Workplace Compliance • 8+ yrs in Mediation • 2 yrs in Drafting Policies & Handbooks • 6+ yrs in Researching Employment and Labor Laws • 2 yrs in Grievance Procedures After hours, I balance out my highly analytical career work with creative pursuits including creating soaps, digital planners, and digital art as well as oil painting, cooking, and baking. Want to chat? Connect with me here on LinkedIn.