Employment relations adviser career

Kaitohutohu hononga kaimahi

Employment relations advisers give advice about issues between employers and employees. They may negotiate contract agreements, attend grievance hearings and handle employee complaints.

Employment relations advisers give advice about issues between employers and employees. They may negotiate contract agreements, attend grievance hearings and handle employee complaints.

What would you do as an Employment relations adviser?

Employment relations advisers

  • usually work regular business hours but may work extra hours
  • work in offices and may travel locally and nationally
  • need to be organised, solve problems and communicate well

Tasks

  • give advice about workplace issues and disputes
  • help solve problems between workers and bosses
  • negotiate and write work agreements
  • arrange and lead workplace meetings
  • check businesses follow employment laws
  • collect and review evidence for disputes
  • train workers on workplace rights and rules
  • advise managers on work laws and policies
  • assess risks that could affect workplaces
  • attend and speak at legal meetings

How can you become an Employment relations adviser?

You usually need experience to become an employment relations adviser and a qualification may be useful.

You may need

  • experience in similar work
  • a relevant tertiary qualification in business and management, law studies or similar area
  • knowledge of employment law or industrial relations
  • to complete a mediation course
  • to be accredited by a dispute resolution institute

If you're in school

You usually need NCEA Level 3 to do the study or training for this job.

Related career ideas

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Qualifications

View all qualifications

Study a Human Resource Management major in our Bachelor of Business to learn how organisations manage employment relationships and workplace issues. You can also add it as a minor alongside almost any other degree. Like all our undergraduate degrees, yours will include work-integrated learning.

To specialise further, you can continue with our postgraduate study options in Human Resource Management.

BBus

Bachelor of Business

3 years Hamilton, Tauranga
Bachelors Degree
GradCert

Graduate Certificate

0.5 years Hamilton
Graduate Certificate
PGDip

Postgraduate Diploma

1 year Hamilton
Postgraduate Diploma
View all qualifications

What our students are saying

Employment relations advocate FAQs

Scholarships

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Waikato Management School Accreditations

Waikato Management School holds Triple Crown accreditation, the highest recognition available in business education. We are accredited by AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA. Only around 1% of business schools worldwide have met the rigorous standards of all three bodies.

AACSB accredited

Recognises Waikato Business School’s faculty expertise, research quality, and commitment to high academic standards.

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AMBA accredited

Recognises the quality of Waikato Management School’s MBA and Master’s programmes, including cohort experience, curriculum, and career outcomes.

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EQUIS accredited

Recognises Waikato Management School’s international reach, industry engagement, and commitment to diversity.

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