Since 2008, busy managers by the tens of thousands have turned to this best-selling book as a handy guide to the ins and outs of human resources. And no wonder! Because whether you're a small business owner, a manager in a business without an HR department, or even a seasoned HR professional, The Essential HR Handbook will help you handle any personnel problem--from onboarding to outplacement--quickly and easily. This fully updated 10th anniversary edition is packed with information, tools, checklists, sample forms, and timely tips to guide you through the maze of personnel issues in today's complex business environment.

In it you'll find out how to:

• Attract talented staff through social media recruiting
• Identify legal pitfalls to avoid lawsuits and regulatory interference
• Train a diverse and inclusive multigenerational workforce
• Provide the compensation and benefits package that will make your organization an "employer of choice"
• Streamline your orientation and onboarding practices so new employees hit the ground running

Whenever personnel problems arise, having The Essential HR Handbook on your bookshelf is like having a team of expert HR consultants at your beck and call!

Sharon Armstrong, PhD, C.Psych., is a clinical psychologist in private practice. Sharon obtained a post-graduate fellowship with Family Services at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and later worked as a psychologist and as Acting Clinic Head of Rainbow Services at CAMH. Sharon is on contract as faculty at York University, where she teaches clinical and counselling theory and skills, and behaviour modification and therapy.

Sharon Armstrong's profile page

Barbara Mitchell is an author, speaker, and human resources consultant. She is the coauthor of The Big Book of HR, The Essential Workplace Conflict Handbook, The Conflict Resolution Phrase Book, and The Essential HR Handbook. Most of her HR career was spent with Marriott International. Barbara is managing partner of The Mitchell Group and an innovative career transition coach.

Barbara Mitchell's profile page

Robin Miles' profile page

One of BambookHR’s top HR books of 2019. "This perennial bestseller is the book many HR professionals reach for first whenever a question or problem comes up. Newly updated for 2019, it offers a wealth of information and advice on just about every HR topic under the sun." —Kent Peterson, BambooHR

"Easy to use, and full of solid advice and information from diversity to interviews to legal issues. If you are an HR professional you should have this book at the ready every day." —Chester Elton, coauthor, The Carrot Principle

"This should be required reading for all owners of growing businesses and new managers launching their careers." —Stephen J. O’Connor, senior director of staffing, ESPN, Inc.

"Sharon and Barbara have done it again! This new edition of The Essential HR Handbook has been completely updated to reflect the latest trends and realities in the workplace - from telework to employee wellness programs to how to use social media as part of your recruitment process. As with the first edition, this manual is filled with useful information and resources. It should be in your bookcase. I guarantee you will find it useful." —Nancy Kelly, MHS, Executive Director, Health Volunteers Overseas

"The Essential HR Handbook should be a required book in every office. From those thrust into HR duties, to the manager who needs an occasional reference volume, this multipurpose handbook will guide the way. This second edition is a testament to the continued need for such a comprehensive resource to navigating the HR field." —Christina Lambert, SHRM-CP, Manager of Human Resources and Administration, American Land Title Association

"Since publication of the first edition, The Essential HR Handbook has been read and discussed by more than 75 new managers, who participate in our Managers' Round Table program. The information, ideas, and resources in this 10th anniversary edition will continue to enhance this program and provide ongoing value for our managers." —Allyn Gutauskas, Human Resource Manager, Farmington Country Club

"The Essential HR Handbook is a vital resource for today's leaders, providing meaningful guidance on human resources issues, along with useful scenarios and practical tools. The book has been a valuable reference tool for many years, and the authors' philosophy of lifelong learning is reflected in their highly substantive and timeless content. I strongly encourage anyone with HR responsibilities to explore this resource." —Susanne Knight, Office Administrator - Los Angeles, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

"Now more than ever, leaders need both a strategic and practical guide to help them effectively manage human resources. The Essential HR Handbook meets this need through the authors' smart and focused presentation of current HR information, challenges and solutions. This book belongs in a new manager's toolkit!" —Mary Camuto, MC Consulting, author, Make the Most of Your Workday

"What I love about The Essential HR Handbook is that it covers everything an HR manager needs to know in order to run a solid shop, from strategy to law to employee relations to compensation and benefits. Need to develop a compensation strategy? I can find it in there. Need to know how to coach a manager through a performance appraisal? I can find that, too. With the new revisions, Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell keep us up-to-date with current laws and best practices without compromising the book's solid, uncompromising HR foundation. It's both comprehensive and approachable; whether you are new to the field or have been at it for years, this is a great resource to keep handy on your bookshelf." —Anne Tomkinson, Director of Certification for Washington, DC SHRM

"In the knowledge economy, there is no more important resource than talent so understanding how best to manage talent should be the highest priority of any successful business. I highly recommend Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell's Updated The Essential HR Handbook to not only HR professionals, but also to today's C-level executives as they seek to understand how to recruit, retain and upskill their workforce. Armstrong and Mitchell's concise and well-researched material is easily digested and applied. I have valued their earlier edition, and have found their updates to the Handbook to be extremely pertinent and enormously helpful. Do yourself a favor and keep this book close as I do. You will find yourself reaching for it often." —Erinn Gray, Vice President Global Human Resources, Trintech