Human Resources Kit for Dummies (Paperback)

by Max Messmer (Author) "Most people in business agree that being sensitive to - and doing your best to meet - the "people needs" of your employees is in..." (more)
Key Phrases: alternate work arrangements, more weeks per year, telecommuting arrangements, United States, Department of Labor, Disabilities Act (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Human Resources Kit For Dummies offers a wealth of practical information, insights, and tools to help align an organization’s human resources practices and policies with its overall business objectives. It provides detailed guidelines on how to set up and implement successful HR practices, as well as actual tools you can use right now – forms, templates, Web site links, and much more.

Whether you’re a small business owner or a HR professional, you’ll appreciate this up-to-date guide to the most common HR functions, including hiring, benefits administration, performance evaluation, and training. If you want to create an employee-friendly workplace or find new ways to compensate your top people, Human Resources Kit For Dummies gives you the information you need to:

• Develop a recruiting strategy
• Find great staffing sources
• Create the right benefits packages
• Make offers candidates accept
• Outsource and use temporary help
• Keep current on employment laws

This helpful guide will help you get the maximum mileage out of job fairs and online recruiting, create effective wage structures, dole out kudos and discipline – and keep it all legal! You’ll get an overview of key issues impacting HR administration, and understand how the process works, from staffing to benefits. You’ll understand the changing needs and demands of both the marketplace and your employees, discover new motivational techniques, and develop wages and benefits packages that keep you competitive. You’ll find expert advice on every aspect of HR, including:

• Anti-discrimination legislation
• Developing a “flat” organization
• Recruiting on campus
• How to read a resume
• Interviewing prospective employees
• Wooing reluctant candidates
• Using temporary employees
• Measuring employee performance
• Firing or laying off employees
• Designing training and development plans

The book also includes a CD-ROM packed with vital forms and contracts, from job application forms and sample employee policies to performance appraisals and benefit plan worksheets. For small business owners or HR professionals who need a helpful reference to the kinds of issues companies deal with daily, Human Resources Kit For Dummies is the friendly guide that makes HR simple and easy.

About the Author

As chairman and CEO of Robert Half International Inc. (RHI), the world's largest specialized staffing firm, Max Messmer is one of the foremost experts on human resources and employment issues. His entire business is built on the premise that the success of any company is based on the extent to which attracting and keeping outstanding talent is a top priority.

Messmer has written several critically acclaimed books, including Job Hunting For Dummies® (IDG Books Worldwide, 1995, 1999), The Fast Forward MBA in Hiring (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1998), 50 Ways to Get Hired (William Morrow & Co., Inc., 1994), and Staffing Europe (Acropolis Books Ltd., 1991). Messmer's expertise has been featured in major business publications such as Fortune, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal, and he has also written hundreds of bylined articles and columns on job seeking, employment, and management topics.

Robert Half International (NYSE symbol: RHI), a Fortune 1000 firm, ranked in the top 1 percent of all firms actively traded on the New York Stock Exchange, based on returns to investors for the five-year period ending 12/31/98. Messmer's company is the only staffing firm included in this top ranking. RHI was also one of only 31 companies to be included on The Wall Street Journal's 1998 "Honor Roll" for its stock market returns to investors for the previous one-, three-, five- and ten-year periods ending 12/31/97, and was recently included in Fortune magazine's list of "America's Greatest Wealth Creators" and in Forbes' "Platinum List" for exceptional investor returns and growth among business services firms.

Founded in 1948, the company's specialized temporary, project, and full-time staffing services include Accountemps, Robert Half, and RHI Management Resources, for accounting and finance; RHI Consulting, for information technology; OfficeTeam, for highly skilled office support; and The Affiliates, for legal staffing.

Messmer has been ranked by Chief Executive magazine among the Top 100 CEOs in the nation for the past four consecutive years. He is a member of the board of directors of a number of major corporations, including Airborne Freight Corporation, Health Care Property Investors, Inc., and Spieker Properties, Inc. Previously, Messmer served on the boards of First Interstate Bancorp, NationsBank (of North Carolina), Pacific Enterprises, and Southern California Gas Company, among others. During the Reagan administration, he served on the President's Advisory Committee on Trade Negotiations. Messmer was valedictorian of his graduating class at Loyola University, and also graduated cum laude from the New York University School of Law.

For expert advice on the legal issues currently impacting HR, Human Resources Kit For Dummies® incorporates the sage counsel of O'Melveny & Myers LLP, one of the world's largest and most preeminent law firms and a leading specialist on employee benefits law. The Los Angeles-based firm was founded in 1885 and today has offices throughout the United States and abroad. Its primary practice areas include Labor and Employment; Corporations; Trade and International Law, Litigation; Entertainment/ Media/Internet and Intellectual Property; Real Estate, Environmental and Natural Resources; and Tax and Bankruptcy. Of particular value were the contributions of one of the firm's senior partners, Scott Dunham, a top employment law expert.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; Bk&CD Rom edition (March 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764551310
• ISBN-13: 978-0764551314
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #398,526 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's called: FOR DUMMIES..., April 24, 2006

By	A. Stevens (Danvers, MA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm surprised by the poor reviews this book has received. Honestly.

The book is a FOR DUMMIES book -- meaning you probably don't know much about the subject and are most likely looking for a basic overview, not in-depth information with case studies, etc. Yikes!

This is a great book for someone new to HR, like myself. It covers a little of everything which makes it easy to at least identify the topics/lingo. There are also references in the book, so you can go out and find the in-depth coverage you want.

If you're looking for a book to tell you exactly how to run an entire HR dept., look elsewhere. This book isn't called "Everything Under The Sun about HR" Its a for dummies book, a great starter book.

I just recently took a SHRM class, a basic all-around new-to-HR class, and found that the For Dummies book covered 80% of the info I learned in the class and textbook (and even more).

Bottom line: if you're new to HR and want to start learning, this book is a GREAT place to start, truly. If you're already an HR professional, you'd probably do better with more specific books on the topics you're looking for.

82 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Basic and shallow, May 30, 1999

By A Customer

I had hoped for an in-depth discussion of HR pitfalls and remedies. Instead I got a VERY basic course in hiring, firing, evaluation and such. Maybe if you have never been a manager, this might help you. But if you have any experience at all, don't bother.

30 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Poor organization, Elementary, yet a useful reference for..., December 19, 2000

By	mohammad nadir (Santa Barbara, Ca United States) - See all my reviews

This is a good source of information for both professionals and new students of HR management. Content:The author has done a descent job collecting useful informations and also adressing a number of key issues in the field of HR management.Non-the-less he often fails to provide an in-depth analysis that the discipline deserves.Indeed, imprtant topics such as,HR Forcasting on P.65,is dealt with as if it is a legal briefing than an in-depth analysis that such crucial subject requires.

Organization:Perhaps, the weakest part of this book is its poor organization; It lacks cohesiveness.In fact, it is organized so poorly that the reader notices almost instantly. Conclusion: It could be a solid book if re-orgonized/revised, added more in-depth analysis,and avoid unnecessary repeatitions that appper and re-appear throughout the book.Still, a good source for new students and new employees of the HR management.