1 Orientation and Onboarding “Armstrong and Mitchell have provided a comprehensive and concise overview of human resources with practical advice, tips, forms and check- lists. A must read for managers, small business owners, and individuals new to the HR profession.” —Cornelia Gamlem, SPHR, president of GEMS Group ltd . www.gemsgroup-hr.com “Armstrong and Mitchell have given us an excellent primer to educate our newly hired or promoted people managers on the must-know elements of human resource management. From the perspective of both historical and emerging trends, they succinctly present a pragmatic and uncomplicated explanation of why and how these issues are essential to business success. Among the many nuggets they offer are numerous, practical and proven ways to safely say what needs to be said in employee conversations, interviews, and evaluations. Even this old dog learned some new tricks!” —Gary Cluff, manager, Corporate Recruiting, The MITRE Corporation “As a HR practitioner of 26 years, I strongly recommend this book to all HR professionals who want to bring added value, and who wants to become a significant strategic partner in their organization. This book is a must have for any HR professional’s library.” —Ben Lastimado, ED, author, Increasing Your HR Profession’s Value— Make Them Want You For a Strategic Partner “If you want to know the core elements that any Human Resources professional should have in mind as they map their strategy and advise their organization, Sharon Armstrong’s and Barbara Mitchell’s work is a great source. And a strong manager should be keeping the points in The Essential HR Handbook front and center in their leadership of people! This is a great straight-forward resource for any desktop!” —Naomi Morales, deputy vice president, Human Resources and Ad- ministration, PhRMA “As promised in their introduction, the authors of The Essential HR Handbook have really made it all about the people. This is a handy reference for anyone trying to be an effective manager of people. If nothing else, be sure to read Chapter 12 and know the challenges for the future.” —Dr. Janet Stern Solomon, SPHR, professor of management, The George Washington University