Customer Reviews

HR Answer Book, The: An Indispensable Guide for Managers and Human Resources Professionals

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Finally, a "how do I handle" guide written for any manager seeking instant direction & expertise. The question format is ideal, facilitating speedy navigation, the flow within each subject area transports the reader logically through the process and the advice is right on target. The "lessons learned" boxes throughout the book serve to add useful reference points on how others have dealt with the issue at hand. The Resource Guide, Tools & Templates and the Index collectively represent invaluable tools, especially for small-company management who may not have in-house HR assistance. Overall, an impressive achievement for a book which follows through with practical, accurate answers and solutions.

It has been a few years since I felt the need to peruse any resource material for helping me find the right people. In a previous career I had hired and managed between 80 and 100 people at a time. But I thought I might want to brush up on what changes have transpired over the last 15 years and I couldn't believe what I learned from this book. I picked it at random from the endless supply of other choices and I was very glad I did. These two writers hit upon everything that I thought I knew and opened my eyes to the changes that I was not aware of. To be honest, I wasn't planning on reading the entire book but thought I would hit upon the "highlights." I actually thought I knew enough to skim it but little did I realize, I knew very little. And even though I don't run a large office like I used to, I found the book to be an easy read and will keep it on the shelf as a resource guide. I tend to bend the pages of my books for the passages that I know I will refer to in the future and this book looks like I have had it for years with the bent corners. I don't think I will find it necessary to look beyond this guide in the future. My hats off to these two writers who very much know their subject and will be "indispensible" to me.

This book is a terrific guide through pretty much every HR issue you will come across. The writing is straightforward, it's well organized, and it explains complicated subjects in a way everyone can understand. Most importantly, it gives useful, practical tips and suggestions. It's a must-read for entry-level HR professionals and anyone who manages employees, and it's also a great reference for more experienced HR professionals. It will be especially useful to those in small companies who don't always have immediate access to subject matter experts in every area of HR. I strongly recommend it.

MBaumann, Cosmetics Executive, March 14, 2006,
An Essential Desktop Reference
A smart,informative, entertaining guide to a serious subject...filled with FAQs that you sometimes didn't even know you needed to ask! Quickly became an everyday reference that I turn to again and again. Set up in an extremely reader-friendly fashion (perfect for those of us who don't have a lot of patience or time to spend looking things up) that makes sense of the language of HR. Once I read it, I bought it for all the managers in my team and recommend it to everyone who has ever encountered an uncomfortable HR situation (or hopes to avoid one!)

What a great tool for a small business person to use in regard to day-to-day HR issues. I've found it to be practical and real-world without all the legal jargon. We're using it as a reference book for our supervisory training class. Lots of insight for the HR generalist as well.

Great, professionally-written book. It's easy to read cover-to-cover , and just as easy to pick up as a reference when I have a specific issue. This has been an invaluable tool and I recommend it to anyone who is running a small business, moving into HR, or finds themselves dealing with staff-related issues. It's a 'must-have' for all managers.

I highly recommend this book. I run a HR department by myself and since it is just me, myself, and I - this book gets lots of use; just to get another perspective on how something should be handled or feedback "so to speak."

It is written in a simple, clear, and direct manner. Very easy to use and understand.

As a corporate HR director for a fortune 500 company, I am supposed to have all the answers when the phone rings or someone walks in the door. I don't have all the answers and never will and that is why I keep reference books such as the HR Answer Book within easy reach.

I can recommend this book to anyone in HR at any level. It's topic matter ranges from the very simple to more complex issues. I hope the revised version will contain a large section on labor relations as this is an area that many in HR struggle with. Michael L. Gooch, SPHR Author ofWingtips with Spurs

This in excellent primer on all things HR for HR professionals as well as managers. The 10 chapters covers all the major areas of HR including selection; policies; performance management; training & development; employees relations; as well as compensation and benefits.

The chapters are Witten in a Q & A format: common questions relating to the chapter's topic are answered in a fairly straight-forward manner and with enough details. Most concepts are explained succinctly and clearly without boring the reader. I especially liked the fact that the questions deal with both conceptual and practical elements of each topic. For example, in the chapter on HR policies, one of the questions is "should our company have an employee handbook?" and the answer explains both the legal and practical need for the handbook. Another question focuses on the "stylistic considerations in writing the manual."

The only complaint I had with the book is in the depth of the material covered. In targeting both HR professionals and managers, the authors may have had, by necessity, to "tune-down" some of the content and therefore, as an HR professional this was a little too basic for me to be as useful as it could've been.

This book is a well-written, enjoyable book that I would recommend to a friend, however, please don't think it will be the greatest help for studying for the PHR exam. IT was recommended to me as a tool, but far from helpful. For someone outside of HR, it might be great help, but for the average HR person, it is very basic. Just be aware before getting caught up in the buying for the PHR exam.