As the human resources manager of any small company, you are responsible for creating a solid backbone for that business. It is a challenging job, but not one that you have to do alone. Great people have come before you and have even written books about their experiences! So, here I’m going to outline for you what I have found to be some of the most useful and informative books to help you succeed in this role!
First, one of the best books I have come across to date is “Human Resource Champions” by one of the fathers of the modern human resource industry, David Ulrich. Ulrich is one of the most prominent writers in the field today, who puts forth some very interesting recommendations. Namely, he suggests four roles of the human resource manager: strategic partner, administrative expert, change agent, and employee champion.
“Leaders at any level of a company must cherish and commit to winning,” writes Ulrich. “But wanting to win is not enough: Leaders must set a path that makes it happen.” It is to this purpose that Ulrich writes his book. He strives to show human resource professionals how to create a new agenda, create new value and deliver impressive results. He understands that human resources is not just about dealing with people, or the soft side of a business. And, he successfully navigates his way through the tough and vigorous workplace to show what it takes to succeed.
Another important book for the human resources manager to read is “Delivering Results: A New Mandate for Human Resource Professionals.” Also edited by David Ulrich, this book encourages human resources managers to begin to do “the real work” of companies, meaning improving customer service and increasing shareholder value. It is in fact a collection of 15 different “Harvard Business Review” articles all dealing with human resources management issues.
A common theme throughout Ulrich’s works is the idea that human resource professionals should not be pigeon-holed into relatively meaningless support staff roles. Instead, they should take the reigns and become powerful agents of change within the company. With articles like “Changing the Way We Change,” and “What is Strategy,” Ulrich has compiled a collection of some of the industry’s brightest thinkers into one book. It is not to be missed!
Finally, a third book that I must recommend is “The Human Capital Edge: 21 People Management Practices Your Company Must Implement (Or Avoid) To Maximize Shareholder Value,” by Bruce Pfau and Ira Kay. Basically, by taking a study of a wide range of human resources management principles, these authors show just how exactly these professionals are able to affect a company’s bottom line. Read this book and you will have a better idea of just how significant you can be to your company.
Refuse to fall into the stereotype of the human resources manager as someone who is just in a secondary support role in the company. Read these books and learn to harness the power that you already have!
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