What Does a Human Resources Advisor Do?

A human resources advisor generally assists a human resources department in all sorts of tasks, including the wide spectrum of activities involved in employee processing. From hiring and firing, to dealing with employees on a daily basis, the human resources advisor often acts as a consultant, as well as an assistant in implementing established programs. Much of this work involves personal interactions, and the best human resources advisers have people skills and deal easily with interpersonal stressors.

Part of what a human resources person does is related to long-term staffers or personnel in departments where turnover may not be an issue. The human resources advisor may spend a lot of time meeting informally with employees at various staff levels in order to get input on anything from production to workplace environments. Goals for these meetings may include uncovering human relations problems, or issues with a work site, along with training others in people skills and conflict resolution.

One of these advisers to a human resources department may also have hands-on jobs not directly related to conflict resolution or employee morale. For example, a human resources advisor may write an employee newsletter or otherwise assist in producing these kinds of periodicals. The same goes for websites and other online resources, including application guides or hiring information. These advisers may present information to departments as part of commonly established work skills meetings.

Another major role of a human resources advisor is to evaluate the ways that businesses can provide value added training to produce more skilled workers. This includes screening individuals for eligibility for advanced training sessions in all kinds of skills from technical production to public relations. It may also include establishing curriculum or formats for these trainings, or seeking out outside trainers who can provide these services to the company. The advisor may set up training within a corporate head office, or go out on the road to reach departments that may be scattered across a country or region, or internationally.

In general, the human resources advisor is a key person in the human resources department. By organizing a range of activities on a day-to-day or longer-term basis, this professional effectively enhances the operations of the human resources department. The end result is often lower turnover, more skilled workers, a safer workplace, and better competition within a field or industry.