Human Resources Employee Engagement

Shonita R. Torry, SHRM-CP

Senior Human Resources Leader

********@*****.*** • 773-***-****

LinkedIn • Chicagoland Area

Certified and detail-oriented professional with extensive experience in driving impactful HR strategies, organizational transformation, workforce planning, and talent development across diverse industries.

Recognized for driving culture-forward initiatives, enhancing employee engagement, and aligning people strategies with business growth. Proven success in leading organizational change, building inclusive talent pipelines, and delivering measurable improvements in retention, compliance, and workforce development. Known for fostering fair, transparent workplaces and empowering leaders through coaching, policy reform, and people-first planning. Adept at aligning HR strategies with business objectives to foster high-performance cultures, enhance employee engagement, and support scalable growth. Skilled in leading change management initiatives, improving HR operations, and partnering with executive leadership to shape inclusive, people-first organizations.

Areas of Expertise

Strategic HR Planning

Team Building & Leadership

Benefits Administration

Onboarding & Offboarding

Organizational Culture Transformation

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Initiatives

Change Management

Policy & SOP creation

Title VII, LMA, FMLA, ADA, LOA

HRIS & Payroll Systems Management

Compliance Management

Risk Management

Employee Engagement

Performance Management

Cross-functional Collaboration

Professional Experience

Platinum Pest Solutions – Lansing, IL

Director of Human Resources

Dec 2023 — Apr 2025

Directed strategic HR initiatives and guided leadership on talent development, employee engagement, and compliance. Led organization-wide planning for budget allocation, policy development, and performance management. Managed unemployment claims processing, regulatory paperwork, Workman's Compensation, FMLA, and ADA accommodation procedures. Developed job descriptions, company policies, Leave of Absence (LOA) processes, the initial maternity leave policy. Supervised the rollout of the Motor Vehicle policy initiative, Leadership Development I & II training programs, and Mobile Device Management (MDM) System integration in collaboration with Verizon. Formed strategic alliances with suppliers to decrease employee Workman's Compensation claims. Revamped the Employee handbook to ensure compliance with current regulations.

Key Achievements:

●Improved employee satisfaction and benefits access by leading the seamless transition to a new medical provider.

●Increased field safety and accountability through the revision and rollout of an updated motor vehicle policy.

●Graduated the first class of Personal Development team members, fostering talent growth and skill development.

●Saved over $35K in revenue by successfully implementing the MDM program.

●Launched the Safe Driving program, partnering with Gallagher to enhance safety protocols and reduce risks.

●Boosted clarity and time-off utilization by simplifying vacation and sick leave policies across the organization.

●Strengthened organizational culture by driving company-wide employee relations practices rooted in fairness and transparency.

●Reduced employee turnover by 15% year-over-year by implementing leadership coaching, strategic retention planning, and internal mobility initiatives.

●Established the framework for internal career advancement and comprehensive performance assessments through the utilization of compensation data analytics.

Fetch, Chicago, IL

Human Resources Business Partner – Manager

Jul 2021 — Oct 2023

Led strategic HR initiatives while serving as the primary advisor to senior leadership on employee relations, engagement, and retention efforts. Collaborated with department heads to drive inclusive hiring practices and scalable talent strategies. Oversaw full-cycle HR functions, including onboarding, offboarding, compliance, and benefits for a rapidly growing workforce. Responsible for managing and oversight of all employee resource groups (ERG’s). Developed and stood up the Inclusion Council and its board members from all ERG’s. Inspiring a company's CORE Value from Diversity to its current Inclusion pillar. Oversaw Women's mentorship program.

Key Achievements:

●Delivered streamlined onboarding for over 300 employees annually to enhance new hire experience and operational readiness.

●Processed 10% of H1B visa applications within 60 days to ensure full compliance and timely onboarding of international hires.

●Enabled leadership readiness by recommending and initiating customized training and development opportunities based on policy reviews and employee feedback trends.

●Elevated organizational culture by driving improvements in engagement scores through data-led analysis using Culture Amp and targeted action planning.

●Accelerated hiring pipeline by building diverse interview panels and standardizing inclusive interview practices, increasing hiring consistency across departments.

●Employed 8 Employee Resource Groups, fostering inclusion and engagement across the organization.

●Managed benefits administration for accurate and timely delivery of employee benefits.

●Streamlined FMLA and LOA processing, ensuring compliance and efficient handling of employee leave requests.

●Contributed to New Hire Orientation by supporting smooth onboarding and integration for new employees.

Menlous Repair LLC, Gary Indiana

Human Resources - Payroll Manager

Dec 2020 — May 2024

Examined salary data from USBLS website to inform owner about market salary trends. Established leave policies, managed payroll for 20 staff, and controlled company expenses. Implemented payroll software for check issuance. Conducted training for supervisors on coaching, policy adherence, and staff retention strategies. Oversaw recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and offboarding procedures.

Key Achievements:

●Elevated workplace safety standards to boost team morale and operational consistency.

●Improved payroll errors by 25% to ensure employees were paid on time

●Developed a streamlined process for time-off requests, improving efficiency and ensuring consistency in leave management.

●Designed and implemented team building training programs, fostering collaboration and enhancing team performance.

●Administered payroll processing, leave management, and disciplinary procedures, ensuring compliance and smooth operational flow.

Benevis LLC – Gary, IN

Area Business Leader / Office Manager

Oct 2019 — Dec 2020

Led operational and financial oversight across four offices in Northwest Indiana to drive strategic performance of team. Oversaw territory recruitment, onboarding, and training to build high-performing, retention-focused teams. Revitalized office culture by launching region-wide goals, reporting structures, and performance evaluations to drive growth.

Key Achievements:

●Surpassed payroll and budget targets by optimizing operational workflows and improving scheduling efficiency across multiple sites.

●Enhanced team culture by fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment.

●Boosted employee retention through consistent mentorship, transparent performance evaluations, and tailored development plans.

●Minimized audit findings and ensured full regulatory compliance by proactively addressing breaches and standardizing documentation practices.

Loyola Medical Center, Maywood, IL

Operations Manager

Jan 2019 — Sept 2019

Oversaw daily activities and strategic direction of a 95-person call center team, comprising 4 supervisors, to maintain excellent service provision. Coordinated efforts with various departments' directors, managers, and staff to enhance patient access and support services efficiency. Led coaching and performance improvement programs for staff in line with organizational objectives and quality benchmarks.

Key Achievements:

●Reduced average call hold times by 50%, cutting from 30 to 15 minutes through targeted workflow enhancements.

●Improved service responsiveness by achieving 85% of calls answered within 25 seconds.

●Elevated team performance and morale through clear goal setting, real-time feedback loops, and structured coaching plans.

●Strengthened reporting accuracy and executive visibility by standardizing daily, weekly, and monthly statistical dashboards.

Franciscan Health – Olympia Fields, IL

Operations Manager

Jul 2014 — Oct 2018

Guided team members, scheduled tasks, and enhanced team efficiency & cooperation. Worked with corporate HR team to uphold HR policies. Crafted department policies, procedures, and SOP's. Established protocols, guidelines, and performance improvement methods to improve operational flow. Oversaw employee relations. Handled payroll administration. Launched training programs and led strategic planning efforts to strengthen organizational unity.

Key Achievements:

●Increased employee engagement scores from 40% to 75% by implementing recognition programs like "Employee of the Month" and "Employee Safety Awards."

●Optimized performance across a multi-campus health system by leading 75+ cross-functional staff, overseeing operations, coordinating training schedules, and improving LMS completion by 25%.

●Streamlined workflow efficiency through tailored corrective action plans, hands-on leadership, and fostering internal mobility and mentorship programs.

●Revamped the departmental employee handbook, enhancing feedback loops and change management processes to align with evolving organizational goals.

Education & Credentials

Attended - High School Graduate

Paul L. Dunbar Vocational, Chicago, Illinois

SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)

Society for Human Resource Management

Certified Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Professional

eCornell – Diversity & Inclusion for HR Professionals

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