Staffing the Contemporary Organization

By Donald L. Caruth, Gail D. Caruth, and Stephanie S. Pane

Like The HR Answer Book, which I have previously reviewed, Staffing the Contemporary Organization is billed as a comprehensive manual for HR people, but it’s equally useful for any manager who deals with HR issues as part of his or her job.

The book covers a wide range of HR topics, including the following:

• Employment law
• Job analysis
• Recruiting and interviewing
• Selecting and selection tests
• Appraisals and employee development
• Administration
• Career planning
• Measuring the effectiveness of the HR function

Although the basics of staffing remain fairly constant, human resources departments do need to take into account social, legal, and technological trends. In the Preface, the authors discuss eight trends that are changing the way HR functions are performed:

1. New state and federal legislation has made it harder for HR managers to comply with regulations.
2. Recent decisions by the Supreme Court and the Circuit Courts have clarified the courts’ positions on issues such as affirmative action.
3. Many states have passed reference-checking laws that allow HR managers to release information about the job performance of former employees without fear of liability.
4. The number of employment law tort cases has risen dramatically.
5. The boom years of the 1990s have given way to a period of economic uncertainty.
6. As corporations strive to become leaner and more efficient, they are increasingly turning to temporary workers or independent contractors to fill staffing needs.
7. New technologies such as social media and computerized testing have affected the way companies recruit and manage employees.
8. HR departments are being required to demonstrate how they provide value. In-house HR functions that don’t contribute to the bottom line are at risk of being outsourced.

HR issues are clearly complex. To guide you through them, you need a good reference book. But which one?

Both The HR Answer Book and Staffing the Contemporary Organization are useful, even necessary, but neither is as fun to read as Guy Kawasaki or Seth Godin. Between the two, however, The HR Answer Book is the more approachable. In comparison to Staffing the Contemporary Organization, it takes a less theoretical approach. It is also broken down into smaller chunks, making it easier to consult when you are in doubt about a specific situation.