ABSTRACT
This chapter reports on the state of human resource management of political advisers in government in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It draws on interviews with advisers and staffers who worked under Prime Ministers Boris Johnson, Justin Trudeau, Scott Morrison and Jacinda Ardern, as well as public servants working towards reform in the management processes around them. Political advisers shared their experiences of working in those offices but also for ministers and MPs, providing a broad overview of being a staffer in government. The analysis highlights that effective HR is often lacking, but there are positive practices that have emerged on an ad hoc basis or have been developed more recently through reform. It also presents the case for better management for political advisers, making clear why it is needed for the individuals, parties, government and democracy as a whole.
