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Workplace culture

8 must-read books, according to benefits and HR leaders

By Deanna Cuadra
September 28, 2021 9:30 AM

Benefits and HR leaders are undergoing a transformational era, where the very definition of work culture and employee engagement have changed in the face of a global pandemic and national labor shortage.

While they’re leading their organizations through unprecedented times, these leaders aren’t above seeking out advice themselves. Employee Benefit News reached out to top HR professionals to share the books piling up on their nightstands this year. These titles address leadership tactics, how to build inclusive and dynamic cultures, rising healthcare costs and ways to weather the challenges life throws our way.

See the list below for top recommendations that benefits and HR leaders found not only enlightening but inspiring over the course of a very trying year and a half.

“15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success”

By Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman and Kaley Klemp
“This book provides guidance for how we can tap into our presence and be more effective leaders. My company has been on a journey to build a conscious culture, and this book has inspired us in how we engage with each other every day.”

- Priti Patel, chief people officer at G2

Read more: Long story short: HR leaders plan for the next phase of COVID-19

“A Passion for Wellness: Healthy Employees, Healthy Bottom Line”

By Rachel A. Sapoznik
“This book is written by someone who works with employers to manage costs and addresses the only real way to address out-of-control costs — by focusing on being healthier, instead of waiting to treat the illness.”

- David Reid, co-founder and CEO at Ease

“Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk”

By Peter L. Bernstein
“Risk is omnipresent and agnostic, and is universally applicable to the world of employee benefits as a function of employment practices, human resources and casualty coverage. This book gives perspective to the evolution and revolution for how and why society went from believing in the gods to accepting evidence-based possibilities and probabilities when it comes to avoiding, mitigating and even eliminating the uncertainty of risk.”

- Michael Schultz, co-founder of Aclaimant

“Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility”

By Patty McCord
“This book offers inspiring guidance from Netflix’s former chief talent officer about how they built a culture of freedom and responsibility, which we found very inspiring and are adopting into our own approach to culture.”

- Priti Patel, chief people officer at G2

“Re-Engaging in Trust, The Missing Ingredient in Fixing Healthcare”

By Jan Berger and Julie Slezak
“Healthcare costs have grown increasingly unsustainable for employers and consumers alike, due largely to a system that lacks transparency, discourages market competition and rewards financial success. This book offers practical solutions.”

- Cheryl Larson, president and CEO at Midwest Business Group on Health

Read more: Employers increasingly support a public option for healthcare plans

“The Financial Wellness Mandate: Be the Employer of Choice by Offering the Benefits Today’s Workers Want and Need Most”

By Daniel R. Bryant
“Financial wellness benefits should be just as commonplace as vision or dental benefits, and the author hones in on how these also go a long way in creating a workplace that attracts and retains talent. It’s especially relevant reading for employers now, amidst the great resignation and an incredibly competitive labor market.”

- Kristen Carlisle, general manager at Betterment for Business

“Work Disrupted: Opportunity, Resilience, and Growth in the Accelerated Future of Work”

By Jeff Schwartz
“How do we design careers which are portfolios of lifelong reinvention; how do we leverage talent marketplaces, workforce ecosystems and AI to drive workforce management and employee personal growth; and how do we lead in a world requiring more coaching and support than supervision and control? This book addresses these new approaches, where demographics, technology and social expectations drive us forward, requiring new mindsets for us as individuals, organization leaders and citizens.”

- Jeff Schwartz, vice president of insights and impacts at Gloat

Read more: This AI startup thinks it can help workers get on the path to promotion

“Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead”

By Laszlo Bock
“Laszlo Bock headed Google’s People Operations divisions for a decade. The author channels the expertise and experience into a human resources philosophy that champions an emphasis on growth, culture and humanity. Google is proof that great results do not need to come at the expense of employee well-being. I really like how the author also owns up to mistakes made and lessons learned along the way, offering a balanced and realistic account of the company’s people-centric journey.”

- Mari Kemp, senior vice president of HR at Ease
Deanna Cuadra
Senior Reporter, Employee Benefit News
Workplace culture Wellness
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