A complete guide to the skills needed to be a successful people professional written by the UK's bestselling human resource management author. Armstrong's Essential Skills for People Professionals is an essential resource for all current and aspiring HR practitioners. There is complete coverage of the fundamental skills needed including those for interviewing, selection, managing performance and reward, Learning and Development (L&D) and employee engagement. This book also covers techniques for handling people problems, navigating challenging conversations and managing conflict. In addition, there is also coverage of strategic people management capabilities such as managing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), effective data analysis and supporting and communicating organizational change. There is expert content on competencies needed to deal with business issues as an HR professional including how to contribute to the organization's ESG (environmental, social and governance) rating. The final part of the book covers essential personal skills needed for success including problem-solving, decision-making, critical thinking, influencing and negotiation. Comprehensive yet accessible, this book will give you the skills and confidence you need to be an outstanding people professional.