Human resources professionals don't always have the best reputations among employees. When there's a layoff, HR is involved. If a discipline problem arises, HR finds its way into the mess. As health care premiums rise, HR delivers the news. With all of these negative instances, many employees have developed feelings of apprehension toward HR, says Sheryl Kovach, president and CEO of Kandor Group, a human resources consulting firm in Houston.

To counter those negative feelings, Kovach recommends that HR professionals focus on increasing their presence in positive situations rather than those that call for unfortunate outcomes.  

"HR can change this by increasing its visibility with general interaction among employees," Kovach says. "It can be as simple as taking a walk around the office and be a part of that day-to-day, casual interaction. It sends the message that you are there, and nothing bad is happening. Everything is OK. HR can also increase visibility with participation and recognition events and other employee engagement-type activities, whether it is a luncheon or team building."