Michele Sommer, Senior Director of Employee Relations at OpenText (HR Acuity customer since March 2024), stands out for her ability to reshape employee relations. Her bold initiatives, strategic mindset and dedication to people have earned her this year’s ER Leader Award.
Her colleagues explain it best: “As an ER leader, Michele has demonstrated remarkable achievements and bold initiatives that have elevated employee relations from a support function to a strategic business force.”
Redefining Employee Relations
Michele’s impact spans multiple organizations. At Citizens Bank, she led a full-scale restructuring that transformed employee relations’ image from a roadblock to a trusted business advisor. And now, at OpenText, she built a dedicated ER team from the ground up, skillfully navigating resistance and positioning the function as a true partner to the business. Along the way, she centralized all accommodation processes under ER, creating a more consistent and efficient system that improved the experience for employees and managers alike.
Balancing People and Business
One of Michele’s hallmarks is her ability to see situations from multiple perspectives. “She consistently approaches challenges with empathy, viewing situations through the employee’s lens while maintaining a pragmatic balance with business imperatives. I have learned so much from her guidance and leadership,” shared a colleague. Whether addressing sensitive cases or designing processes, Michele ensures that fairness, transparency and organizational needs all align.
Empowering Teams and Leaders
Michele doesn’t just lead employee relations — she cultivates leadership within it. She encourages autonomy, invites input and mentors colleagues across the field. Her guidance has helped teams grow in confidence and capability, turning employee relations into a function that drives impact far beyond case management.
Building Trust at Scale
Through her strategic initiatives and people-focused approach, Michele has strengthened trust across the organizations she serves. “Her ability to balance employee perspectives with business risk and needs has not only driven measurable organizational improvements but has also accelerated trust, fairness and transparency at scale,” a colleague noted.
Michele’s leadership proves that employee relations can be more than a support function — it can be a force for culture and connection, creating workplaces where employees feel valued and trust thrives at every level.
Michele, your dedication to advancing employee relations is truly inspiring. HR Acuity is proud to celebrate your leadership.
