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I've just gained my very first HR Advisor role! Any advice?

James Webber

Hi all,

As the title suggests, today I was very, very happy to acquire my first HR Advisory role after a number of years of trying to progress! 

I'll be working in a team that solely deals with sickness advisory support/case work. I should also state that I've never worked within this organisation before so I'm sure that I'll be able to get some tips and tricks internally when I start in a few weeks time.

However, before that I wanted to try and get some feedback about how you all coped with your step up to the Advisory level?
Was there anything that you wish you'd known then that you do now?
Do you have any tips that you think could make the transitional process easier for me or potholes that I should look to avoid?

Your advice doesn't have to directly related to sickness management, I'm sure that I can make any advice you give, relating to case work/advisor work, applicable to my new role.

P.s. But please don't give me all your horror stories all at once! ;)

  • Congratulations James! I'd suggest you try to fit in some of the CIPD free webinars both prior to starting, and during your new job. The topics covered are designed to be highly topical and relavant to the current HR 'landscape.' So they'll be relevant to the issues your line manager colleagues are dealing with too. They're great because you get to feel part of the wider intl HR community (much like on these discussion boards!) and you'll get a shared understanding of how people are dealing with the key issues of the day! It will make you sound quite well informed too ;) www.cipd.co.uk/.../webinars I'm a little biased as I work for the CIPD but I think they are great!
  • in reply to James Webber
    I couldn't agree more with Keith - I very early on had a manager complain about an employee, made it sound and look like it was a recent issue, when I dug a little deeper it turned out it had been a long running issue between them over a number of years! Not too long later the said Manager left under dubious circumstances!
  • in reply to Johanna
    Thank you for the kind words and the suggestion to join the free webinars (there's nothing wrong with a bit of self promotion, you can literally take this post of mine as an example of that :) )

    I've just had a look and it seems I can retrospectively stream all the recent webinars. This is especially useful because the titles of historic webinars look especially pertinent to the type of work I expect to be dealing with:

    * COVID-19 vaccine and the workplace
    * Embedding flexible working for all
    * Stepping up and supporting working parents
    * In it for the long haul: supporting employee health and wellbeing

    Many thanks for your help, I'm sure it will be very useful...... and make me sound well informed ;)
  • in reply to Jules
    An interesting situation Jules and I won't press you for further information!
    I'll be sure to bear in mind your experience when I start my new role.
  • in reply to James Webber
    Yes they are all available for free, retrospectively, so form a great archive of info. They're an easy listen if you put one on while you're working on something else I find! Keep us posted on your new role once you get into it.
  • in reply to Johanna
    I certainly will..... but only the successful parts ;)
  • Hi James, congratulations!

    For your actual role, upskill yourself on reasonable adjustments as this is an area often misunderstood by the business, employees and even HR.

    Say yes to everything even if that means working above, beyond and not even within the scope of your role. Some of this work you may detest (I particularly hated a new compensation structure I was tasked to implement and that I was wholly unskilled for), but it will teach you what your strengths and development areas are, which areas of HR you like and get you noticed. You may not get extra pay but you get paid with invaluable experience that helps build your career.

    Be curious, build relationships outside your immediate team by being interested in what others are doing.

    Be human. Yes there are some employees who game the system but by and large most don't. Give people the benefit of doubt. Never take anything personally, it's not you, it's the job you are doing that can make you the target of some not great comments.

    Lastly, enjoy it! I'm now in my second decade and when I look back to when I was in your position, wondering when I would 'make it' in HR, wondering when the legal reports in People Management and Personnel Today would make sense, wondering when I would get paid that nice wage in all the job adverts way above my level - you'll get there one day. And you have plenty of funny stories to gather along the way.
  • Actually I just realised I'm in my third decade in HR..... time flies when you're having fun!
  • in reply to Victoria
    Thank you for your kind words and detailed answer to my question.
    I'll be sure to take it all onboard.