The HR Paradox: A Manifesto for Change

Over the past 30 years, a damaging pattern has emerged in Human Resources - a department at odds with real business needs. In the 70s, while business was driving hard for the bottom line, HR was focused on the employee and providing the best possible work environment. Similarly, the recent financial crises have left businesses increasingly looking for innovation, efficiency, differentiation and employee engagement as a source of competitive advantage.

Meanwhile, HR has moved on to focus on strategy and big data: this is the HR paradox. In this book, the authors argue that we now appear to have a generation of HR professionals that have been romanced by "being strategic" and as a result have taken their eye off what gave their profession a reason for existing in the first place - an understanding of people and how they work at work. This book considers the impact of the HR Paradox on the profession and on its reputation.

It considers some of the key disciplines (recruitment, change management, performance management, motivation and reward, people development), reflecting on whether current tools and techniques used are fit for purpose, and making recommendations for improvement.

Scott McArthur is an organisational development consultant, leadership trainer, facilitator and coach with 10 years' experience in industry (British Gas, Scottish and Newcastle and Fisher Group) followed by 10 years as a business consultant. Scott frequently contributes to leading magazines and newspapers and has been published in The Times,Financial Times, Personnel Today and Success Magazine. Author of the well-known HR/Psychology blog, "McArthur's Rant", which attracts worldwide readership (Google rank 6), Scott is also a sought-after speaker and events coach.

Cary L. Cooper, CBE is the author and editor of more than 125 books. After many years at Lancaster University Management School, he is now 50th Anniversary Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health at Manchester Business School. He is a founding President of the British Academy of Management, a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute and one of only 5 UK Fellows of the (American) Academy of Management. He was the Founding Editor of the Journal ofOrganizational Behavior, Editor of the scholarly journal Stress and Health and is the Editor of the BlackwellEncyclopaedia of Management. He has been an advisor to the World Health Organisation, ILO, and EU in the field of occupational health research and wellbeing.