Traits of a good HR manager / advisor?

[SLJ161086]

This is my next career move and I would love to know what kind of traits you think make a good HR person from the good eggs you have worked with! Thanks!

Be non-judgemental. Hone your communication skills. Have empathy and be assertive. Be firm but fair. Don't aim to please and never be too friendly with those outside the HR team as that can cloud your judgement. Keep up to date with employment law and learn conflict management and mediation skills. Don't have a big ego.
Remember your role is to create and deliver strategies that build people, not knock them down.

On the friendly point, obvious be friendly but don't have a 'bezza' at work who you may later need to deal with because there are issues with there work or attendance or similar.

Good follow through; ie don't say you'll do x and get back to them and not do it.
So many of my requests for support in HR disappear into the abyss. We (probably unfairly) assume because it's in the "too hard to handle" pile - always give a date of when you'll get back to someone and do! Even if it's to say, sorry no update.

Also, if someone rings asking for help with policy and whether it applies to x situation, don't just read of the policy back to them. This happens all the time to me!
Me; "hi, I read the policy on this but unsure how to apply it in x situation"
HR: "well if you read the policy it says y"
Me: "I know...I read that, but what about in this situation"
HR: "well the policy says y"

I think that to be fair is the more junior HR team, and not experienced enough in interpreting.

The great HR advisors I've worked for have taken an active interest in my team/area and felt like a part of the wider team not just a name/link. They've sat in on more than just HR meetings to understand the make up of the team, the aim or our responsibilities. They were great.

I work in the NHS so this could be very one sided in fairness!

Thank you, some really good advice here. I want to be embedded into business areas and seen as part of them rather than a separate function so that is really helpful.

Listen well.
Know the business and understand their priorities.