Elevating HR Skills: Essential Reads for Career Growth
Working in human resources (HR) can be fulfilling as it allows you to help people achieve professional development. However, building a career in HR can also be challenging, especially with rapid changes in the industry as work setups become more flexible. In fact, the 2022 Global Talent Trends Study by Mercer revealed that 37% of HR professionals find it difficult to cope with the pace of change and emerging skill needs within the industry.
To become an effective HR professional, staying current with the latest trends and changes is important. One way to do so is by reading books that offer relevant insights and skills to help boost your career in HR. Below, we take a look at some essential titles for developing your HR skills and where you can access them.
Where to find books
You can find many useful resources in your nearest library or bookstore, but if you’re looking for a diverse range of HR titles that can be accessed and stored in one place, then digital libraries are the right tool for you. Everand hosts a huge catalog of ebooks and audiobooks that can help develop your HR skills, such as Edward Lawler’s Effective Human Resource Management and Martin Yate’s The HR Career Guide. You can highlight, annotate, and change font sizes for a better reading experience. You can also check out the site’s Business and Career & Growth sections for more resources on achieving career growth in HR and other fields.
Similarly, you can find a myriad of resources on the library app Libby, which gives you access to titles from public libraries. With your library card, you can connect the app to your local library’s database of ebooks and audiobooks, where you can borrow and access helpful titles like Elias Soussi’s Human Resources Management and Steve Browne’s HR on Purpose. Reading books with the app has also become more accessible with the OpenDyslexic font feature, which increases text readability for those with dyslexia.
Here are some essential books for developing your HR skills:
3 ebooks for building a career in HR
The Essential HR Handbook by Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell
Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell’s The Essential HR Handbook outlines useful tips and tools that can help you effectively fulfill your responsibilities amidst the many challenges in HR. It provides solutions to the many issues that you’ll face as an HR practitioner, such as creating a harmonious workplace for a diverse and intergenerational workforce, providing a competitive compensation package, and attracting new employees through modern methods. This is essential reading that provides an overview of what HR does, and how to do it well.
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
One essential skill that you need to develop in HR is your interpersonal skills. This will come in handy when you need to intervene in situations where disagreements and issues affect employee relationships. Luckily, Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People highlights the importance of listening to all points of view, avoiding arguments to avert escalating things further, and allowing all persons involved to speak their minds. Although the book was originally published in 1936, it remains so relevant today that the New York Times republished its review in 2021 to help a new generation of HR professionals navigate the industry.
How to Evaluate, Motivate, and Reward Employees? by Efectio
Employees want to feel recognized for their efforts. When they feel appreciated, they are more engaged in the workplace and are able to work harder for the benefit of the company. Our ebook How to Evaluate, Motivate, and Reward Employeesoffers insights on the best practices that you can use to foster a healthier and more productive work environment by valuing employees’ contributions.
A career in HR is gratifying yet beset with challenges, so be sure to read these books to help you develop your skills. For more articles like this, visit our website for tips on employee engagement, HR, tech, and more.
