HUMAN RESOURCES GENERALIST

Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ: LWAY), which has been recognized as one of Forbes’ Best Small Companies, is America’s leading supplier of the probiotic beverage known as Kefir. In addition to its line of drinkable Kefir, the company also produces cheese, drinkable yogurt, and a ProBugs line of Kefir for kids. Lifeway’s tart and tangy fermented dairy products are sold across the United States, Mexico, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.

Summary

The Human Resources Generalist is the primary onsite HR partner for Lifeway Foods' Waukesha operation. This role builds trusted relationships with employees and leaders, addresses employee relations matters promptly and consistently, and drives recruiting and onboarding for hourly manufacturing positions. The Generalist must be highly visible on the plant floor, comfortable supporting multiple shifts, and able to balance employee advocacy with sound business judgment and consistent application of company policy.

Corporate Human Resources administers FMLA and other leaves of absence. The Generalist remains the first point of contact for employees and supervisors, recognizes potential leave or accommodation needs, gathers initial information, makes timely referrals to Corporate HR, supports required workplace coordination, and maintains appropriate confidentiality.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

Employee Relations

• Serve as the first and most accessible HR contact for employees, supervisors, and managers.
• Maintain a regular presence on the production floor and build trusted relationships across shifts.
• Respond to employee concerns and conduct prompt, fair, and well-documented workplace investigations.
• Coach supervisors and managers on attendance, performance, conduct, communication, conflict resolution, and corrective action.
• Support consistent application of company policies
• Partner with plant leadership and Corporate HR on employee complaints, workplace conduct, retention concerns, and organizational changes.
• Identify employee relations trends and recommend practical solutions that improve communication, accountability, and retention.
• Help maintain a respectful workplace free from harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and inconsistent treatment.
• Engage in positive employee relations activities for the plant

Recruiting and Onboarding

• Manage day-to-day recruiting for hourly manufacturing, warehouse, maintenance, and skilled operations positions.
• Partner with hiring managers to understand staffing priorities, schedules, qualifications, and hiring timelines.
• Source and screen candidates, coordinate interviews, support selection decisions, and maintain timely candidate communication.
• Build relationships with staffing agencies, community organizations, schools, job fairs, and other local recruiting resources.
• Coordinate new hire orientation and onboarding requirements.
• Conduct new hire follow-ups and stay interviews to identify and address retention concerns.
• Monitor vacancies, recruiting activity, time to fill, early turnover, agency usage, and other workforce trends.

Leaves and Employee Support

Corporate Human Resources administers FMLA and other leaves of absence. The onsite HR Generalist remains the employee’s and supervisor’s first point of contact.

In this role, you will:

• Recognize when an employee’s situation may involve FMLA, another leave of absence, a workplace accommodation, etc
• Provide initial guidance and promptly connect the employee with Corporate HR.
• Follow up to ensure the referral has been completed.
• Coordinate with Corporate HR and plant leadership regarding attendance coding, scheduling, work restrictions, temporary adjustments, and return-to-work requirements.
• Maintain the confidentiality of all medical, leave, and accommodation information.

HR Operations and Compliance

• Back up to maintain accurate employee records and HR system transactions managed by corporate HR.
• Assist employees with routine questions involving payroll, benefits, policies, and HR processes.
• Support attendance administration, unemployment responses, audits, employee communications, and policy acknowledgments managed by corporate HR.
• Partner with Corporate HR, EHS and Safety, payroll, and plant leadership regarding workplace injuries, investigations, and return-to-work coordination.
• Communicate concerns early and escalate significant employee relations or compliance risks appropriately.
• Participate in HR projects, employee engagement activities, training, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Perform duties according to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Sanitization Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) that meet quality and safety standards pertaining to: Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Wisconsin Department of Agriculture (WDA), and customer requirements
• Conduct behavior in compliance with Lifeway Employee Policy
• Perform additional duties as assigned

Qualification and Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• At least five years of progressive HR generalist experience, including substantial employee relations and recruiting responsibility
• Demonstrated experience conducting workplace investigations and coaching supervisors through performance and conduct issues
• Experience supporting hourly employees in a manufacturing, food production, distribution, warehouse, or similarly fast paced environment
• Working knowledge of employment laws and HR practices, including FMLA, ADA, EEO, wage and hour, and Wisconsin employment requirements
• Strong written communication, documentation, judgment, organization, and follow through
• Ability to handle sensitive matters with discretion, remain neutral, and escalate risk appropriately
• Experience using an HRIS and applicant tracking system.
• Ability to work primarily onsite and adjust hours periodically to support employees and leaders on multiple shifts
• Preferred:

• Professional fluency in English and Spanish strongly preferred
• Experience in a manufacturing environment
• Experience with ADP Workforce Now or a comparable HR platform.
• SHRM CP, SHRM SCP, PHR, or SPHR certification

Key Competencies

• Employee relations judgment and credibility
• Approachability and strong floor presence
• Objective investigation and documentation skills
• Urgency, ownership, and dependable follow through
• Recruiting discipline and candidate care
• Manager coaching and constructive conflict resolution
• Confidentiality and sound risk escalation
• Cross-functional collaboration and practical problem solving

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

This position operates in both office and food manufacturing environments. The employee must be able to move throughout the facility, use required personal protective equipment, and comply with all food safety and workplace safety requirements. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform the essential.

Location: Waukesha, Wisconsin

WorkArrangement: Primarily onsite - hybrid, one day remote

Schedule: Monday-Friday - Flexibility to support employees working across multiple shifts

Lifeway Foods, Inc is a growing Chicago-based beverage manufacturer with over 40 years of experience. We are an industry leader in the production of high-quality Kefir. We are an equal-opportunity employer and offer a competitive benefits package. Visit us at www.lifewaykefir.com.