Human Resources professionals and their HR departments are truly the life source for any business. They are the ones who typically find, hire, and pay employees. And their job doesn't end there: HR is usually the "go to" department when management comes up against employee issues and questions.
The sheer volume of information that must be acquired and mastered by HR professionals is a challenge. Workplace regulations, labor legislation, and payroll and tax requirements are not only a vast and often burdensome body of knowledge, things keep changing!
Education and Information is Essential for HR Best Practices
While technology, tools, and outsourcing remain high on the list of HR requirements for doing their job well, ongoing education and up-to-date information is also critical. The best HR professionals dedicate themselves to regularly staying abreast not only of new and changing rules and regulations, but of best practices for working with the "human" aspect of Human resources.
"What are you reading today?"
Although online courses, webinars, and professional organizations provide a wealth of education and information, every competent HR practitioner takes it upon themselves to read the best of business and management literature available.
The problem is that these same professionals are incredibly busy, so finding and identifying the best books can be a challenge. In this post, we offer you a short list of the top five books currently being bought and read by HR professionals:
1. Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High (2nd Edition, 2012)
by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler. This book has become something of a classic among teachers, managers, and HR professionals since the first edition was published back in 2002. This updated and revised 2nd edition includes additional information that gives you the tools to:
- Prepare for high-stakes situations
- Transform anger and hurt feelings into powerful dialogue
- Make it safe to talk about almost anything
- Be persuasive, not abrasive
2. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable (Copyright 2002)
by Patrick Lencioni, Founder and CEO of The Table Group. In this incredibly readable book, Lencioni reveals "the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team."
3. Who Moved My Cheese? (2002 edition)
By Dr. Spencer Johnson. This is truly a business book classic. Yet, it remains among the top five books continually recommended and requested in business and management circles.
According to the book's promotional description, "Who Moved My Cheese? takes the fear and anxiety out of managing the future and shows people a simple way to successfully deal with the changing times, providing them with a method for moving ahead with their work and lives safely and effectively."
4. The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age (Copyright 2014)
by Reid Hoffman , Ben Casnocha, and Chris Yeh. The Alliance takes the approach that the old business management models of treating employees as either family or free agents no longer works. Instead, the authors propose that employers need to work with employees as allies, each partner working together to promote and transform the company and the employee's future.
Coauthored by the founder of LinkedIn, this guide for managers and executives can provide the tools needed to recruit, manage, and retain the kind of employees who will make your company thrive in today’s world of constant innovation and fast-paced change.
5. Who (Copyright 2008)
by Geoff Smart and Randy Street. According to the business magazine,The Economist, “the single biggest problem in business today” is unsuccessful hiring. One report showed that the average hiring mistake costs a company $1.5 million or more a year and countless wasted hours. This is even more distressing when you consider that the typical hiring success rate of managers is only about 50 percent.
In the book Who, authors Geoff Smart and Randy Street offer a recruiting and hiring approach that will teach you how to:
- Avoid common “voodoo hiring” methods
- Define the outcomes you seek
- Generate a flow of A Players to your team–by implementing the #1 tactic used by successful business people
- Ask the right interview questions to dramatically improve your ability to quickly distinguish an A Player from a B or C candidate
- Attract the person you want to hire, by emphasizing the points the candidate cares about most
So many books, so little time
While this is certainly not an exhaustive list, it is a great place to start. In addition to the numerous guides, handbooks, and regulatory publications you must have, acquiring the best personnel management and human resource books available is a great investment. And taking the time to read these and pass them along to your company's managers will be an even greater investment.
Leaders are readers
Oftentimes in a business, executives and managers will look to their HR department for answers and guidance with employee issues and questions. This is where Human Resources experts can step in and take the lead in helping to build an exceptional organization.
In addition to the guidance and information provided by these and other great books, professional agencies such a Accuchex can provide much-needed help with Human Resources needs and questions. Accuchex is a full spectrum Payroll Management Services provider offering expertise in Time Management, Insurance and Retirement issues, as well.
If you are looking for reliable help with your HR issues, we can help. And you can get your Free Download: Payroll Outsourcing Guide to help you make an informed decision, or call Accuchex Payroll Management Services at 877-422-2824.
