If you are an HR professional in today's marketplace, you'll celebrate milestone business achievements along the way, but you (and your team) are also bound to face many challenges or have questions and you may not always have an immediate solution to address the issue, no matter what industry you’re in. That's where industry resources come into play.
Whether it's a research article, the latest podcast, or an annual conference that you recently participated in, there is plenty of information out there and available to help you get your top questions answered and follow the best practices to guide your team and help everyone stay up-to-date.
Here, we've asked experts from Forbes Human Resources Council to provide their favorite go-to HR resources so you don't have to go it alone.
1. TroopHR Workshops And Speaker Series
I have really enjoyed being part of TroopHR. It is a national network for HR leaders to learn from master practitioners, connect with industry leaders and build a network. TroopHR hosts workshops, seminars, and speaker series while also facilitating mentorships and holding office hours. I have gained so much insight from those who have walked the path I am on. - Whitney Manning, Luminous Computing
2. Authentic Relationships With Colleagues
My favorite resources as an HR leader are my networks both within and outside of my organization. Having authentic relationships at all levels within my company provides insights in real-time. A leader's effectiveness is tied to the quality of information they have and how they use it to serve employees. My outside network serves as a sounding board, providing additional perspectives to consider. - Jennifer Mota, MFA Financial, Inc.
3. CHRO And CPO Networks
I surround myself with a few resources focused on staying plugged into best practices and gaining insights into what's happening in other companies. I participate in the external CHRO and CPO networks like the Spencer Stuart Boston-area CHRO forum and Leap HR Searchlight. I also attend and participate in HR conferences like Leap HR, which focus solely on Biotech and Pharma. I also read articles and books on relevant HR topics. - Kim Hazen, Fulcrum Therapeutics
4. Employee Surveys
Employee surveys are my favorite leadership resource. They tell you everything you need to know about your employee population and work climate. They also provide keen insight into areas that need attention. While your external network is a great resource, having the specifics regarding your current employee state allows you to use your external network resourcefully to address internal concerns. - JacLyn Pagnotta, Allied Partners
5. Fairygodboss
I love Fairygodboss! It's not what one might think of as an HR resource, but it's all about women helping women lead and succeed in their work lives. It's a supportive place where women can pose questions and challenges they are experiencing and help each other out. It's a true example of the "human" in human resources and problem-solving creativity is fierce. - Megan Leasher, Talent Plus
Evidence-Based Recruiting, by Atta Tarki, is a go-to book for me. It breaks down the hiring and recruitment process, making it more of a science than an art. This helps identify bottlenecks in the process and recruits star players. - Ken Kanara, ECA
7. Idea Sharing With The Best Minds
I often find your network is your greatest resource. I have grown my network with the CHRO Academy, an idea-sharing network with the best minds in global HR and talent. A strong network not only gives your career a competitive edge but also provides you with the opportunity to learn from people you admire and respect. Not to mention, you meet some new and interesting people along the way! - Patrice Graves, NCR Corporation
8. Undercover Recruiter
Recruiting is an integral part of HR and there is no better resource than the Undercover Recruiter blog. Based in the UK, Undercover Recruiter covers a variety of topics relating to talent acquisition, employer branding, and the workplace in general. Sites like ERE, TLNT, and SHRM are also excellent resources for info and insights on recruiting and HR. - John Feldmann, Insperity
9. Dare To Lead
Dare to Lead, by Brené Brown, has become one of my favorite sources of motivation and inspiration to improve my leadership skills. Brown's focus on compassionate leadership resonates with my personality, making it easier for me to naturally implement her tactics in my daily interactions with my team. - Laura Spawn, Virtual Vocations, Inc.
10. EvilHRlady
EvilHRlady is a great source. HR is too often viewed as the enemy. When viewed purely as a regulatory and compliance-driven role in the organization, managers get frustrated whenever HR says "You can't do that." However, this resource leverages that perspective or stereotype and offers resources and tools to set you up for success. - Jessica Kriegel, Experience.com
11. X-Model of Employee Engagement
The X-Model of Employee Engagement by GP Strategies is a simple approach to developing a high-performance culture one relationship at a time. By using it to teach leaders and employees how to balance results for business and satisfaction for individuals, I have been able to help unify organizations to high results and high engagement throughout my career. This model simplifies a path to engagement. - David Alsop, Ultradent Products, Inc.
12. Leadership By Walking Around
My favorite leadership resource is leadership by walking around or LBWA. As a senior HR professional operating as a strategic consultant, master trainer, and coach, I find that the best insight into cues for potential future problems, obstacles, areas of conflict, and confirmation of healthy workplace practices is all gained just by walking around with intentional awareness. There’s no greater tool than this! - Tiersa Smith-Hall, The Hartling Group
13. Leadership With Heart
There is a myriad of good podcasts. One of my favorite podcasts is Leadership with Heart by Heather Younger. She speaks with amazing leaders from all around the globe to find out how they have become more emotionally intelligent leaders to be able to lead and retain their teams. - Sherry Martin, Government Administration
14. Redefining HR: Transforming People Teams to Drive Business Performance
There are numerous good books out there. The most recent one that has the buzz in our organization and is well suited for the future of work is Redefining HR: Transforming People Teams to Drive Business Performance by Lars Schmidt. The focus of this book is taking a more strategic and transformational approach to HR and the future of work with a people-first approach. - Srikant Chellappa, Engagedly | Mentoring Complete
15. Experienced Mentors
There's no reason to pretend that an HR person has all the answers, even though many people I've worked with feel there is no HR for HR. An HR leader benefits from an experienced mentor (e.g., CHRO, CPO, EVP, and more), a network of knowledgeable specialists to call on (e.g., compliance, payroll, benefits, and more) and the resources available through SHRM. - Jeffrey Pietrzak, Work Exceptional, LLC
16. Research, Data, And People
As a researcher by training and education, I love dissecting academic and business data and pulling out key workplace themes. I learn so much as I dig into experiences from HR leaders, extrapolating best practices that are working for them in the real world. In short, numbers and people always move the needle for me. - Natalie Baumgartner, Achievers