Culture isn't a perk. It’s how people behave when no one’s watching.

And if you're in HR, you're not just part of the culture, you’re shaping it, whether you mean to or not. The way your company hire, manage, reward, and listen to people? That is your culture.

The HR books below aren’t just worth reading, they’re worth returning to. Each one brings a different lens to what it takes to build a workplace people trust, believe in, and want to stay part of. They’re practical, powerful guides you’ll come back to again and again.

1. Powerful

Author: Patty McCord, Former Chief Talent Officer at Netflix and a pioneer in modern HR.

What it’s about:
Patty McCord doesn’t believe in coddling employees or sugarcoating feedback and that’s exactly what makes Powerful so, well, powerful. Drawing from her time at Netflix, she tears apart traditional HR practices like annual reviews and employee retention programs. Instead, she shows how a company can thrive on honesty, accountability, and treating people like adults. She believes that if you build a culture on trust and freedom, people will not only perform. They’ll own their impact.

What you'll learn:

• How to build a high-performance culture without rigid rules

• Why transparency and trust trump policies and perks

• When to let go of great employees and why it’s good

• How to align culture with business strategy

2. No Rules Rules

Authors: Reed Hastings & Erin Meyer, Netflix co-founder and culture expert.

What it’s about:
If Powerful introduced you to Netflix’s philosophy, No Rules Rules takes you deep inside the operating system. Co-authored by Netflix’s founder and a cultural anthropologist, this book explains why Netflix operates without vacation policies, approvals, or even expense rules. It’s not about chaos, it’s about trust and responsibility at an extreme level. This isn’t theory; it’s a real-world playbook on how to manage top performers without managing them at all.

What you'll learn:

• The business case for radical freedom and high accountability

• How to build a company that’s both creative and disciplined

• What happens when you pay top-of-market salaries and remove policies

• Why candor and self-discipline are better than control

3. Work Rules!

Author: Laszlo Bock, Former SVP of People Operations at Google.

What it’s about:
Laszlo Bock helped shape one of the most desirable workplaces in the world. In Work Rules!, he shares what made Google’s people practices stand out and why data, humility, and freedom were at the heart of everything. From hiring to feedback to performance reviews, Laszlo shows how smart policies and strong values can help companies scale culture along with growth. It’s less about perks and more about purpose.

What you'll learn:

• How to use data to make fair people decisions

• Why giving employees choice and voice leads to better work

• The importance of meaning, not just money, in motivation

• How to scale culture without losing it

4. The Culture Code

Author: Daniel Coyle, Investigative journalist and author focused on team dynamics.

What it’s about:
Ever wonder why some groups just click and others fall apart? Daniel Coyle studied elite teams, from Navy SEALs to Pixar, to uncover what makes their cultures resilient and magnetic. It’s not about slogans or office design. It’s about how people feel and behave when they’re together. He breaks down the science behind belonging, vulnerability, and safety, proving that tiny moments can shape team identity in massive ways.

What you'll learn:

• The building blocks of a strong, safe culture

• Why leaders need to be vulnerable first

• How subtle signals (like eye contact and body language) drive trust

• What rituals and feedback loops keep teams bonded

5. It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work

Authors: Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson, Founders of Basecamp, advocates for calm work culture.

What it’s about:
This book is the antidote to hustle culture. The founders of Basecamp argue that calm companies are not only possible but also they’re better. They challenge the idea that long hours and always-on Slack channels are signs of commitment. Instead, they show how a focused, interruption-free, 40-hour workweek can deliver better results without burning people out. It’s honest, sharp, and refreshingly humane.

What you'll learn:

• Why chaos isn’t a badge of honor

• How to build a company that respects people’s time

• Why “urgency” is often an illusion, and how to fix it

• How to lead teams with clarity instead of noise

6. Immortal HR

Author: Marc S. Miller, HR thought leader and author focused on innovative people practices.

What it’s about:
Immortal HR is a unique blend of business fable and thought leadership. It tells the story of Ms. H. R. Job, a metaphor for the traditional HR profession, as she undergoes a dramatic transformation. Marc Miller critiques the old-school HR systems built on control and risk-aversion, and paints a picture of what a more innovative, human-centric HR could look like. It’s reflective, creative, and thought-provoking for anyone tired of check-the-box HR.

What you'll learn:

• Why traditional HR needs a reinvention

• How to align HR with innovation and strategy

• The role of empathy, agility, and purpose in modern people ops

• What “human” in Human Resources should truly mean

7. Radical Candor

Author: Kim Scott, Leadership coach and former executive at Google and Apple.

What it’s about:
Just imagine a workplace where feedback is honest, helpful, and actually appreciated. Kim Scott’s Radical Candor teaches leaders how to build that kind of culture. The secret? Care personally while challenging directly. She shares real stories from her time at Google and Apple, and gives clear guidance for giving feedback, leading with heart, and fostering trust.

What you'll learn:

• How to deliver tough feedback without damaging relationships

• Why honesty paired with empathy creates strong teams

• The difference between obnoxious aggression and radical candor

• How leaders set the tone for open communication

8. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Author: Patrick Lencioni, a Renowned consultant and author on teamwork and leadership.

What it’s about:
In this classic business fable, Patrick Lencioni walks you through why even talented teams fail. Through the story of a new CEO and a broken executive team, he reveals five common dysfunctions, like fear of conflict and lack of accountability, that destroy trust and progress. More importantly, he offers tools to fix them. It’s a must-read for team leaders who sense tension, avoidance, or misalignment.

What you'll learn:

• How to build trust through vulnerability

• Why productive conflict leads to real commitment

• The chain reaction of accountability and results

• A practical framework for team diagnosis and repair

9. Creativity, Inc.

Author: Ed Catmull, Co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios and tech innovator.

What it’s about:
Pixar’s movies are magic, and this book reveals the culture behind that magic. Ed Catmull shares how Pixar built a place where creativity thrives, mistakes are welcome, and everyone is heard. It’s not a Hollywood fairytale. It’s an operations manual for leading with humility, empathy, and trust. If you want to unleash your team’s creative side without sacrificing quality, this one’s a gem.

What you'll learn:

• How to nurture creativity without losing structure

• Why failure is essential to innovation

• The importance of creating a feedback-rich environment

• Why leaders should protect and not control the creative process

10. Delivering Happiness

Author: Tony Hsieh, Former CEO of Zappos and customer service pioneer.

What it’s about:
This is part business memoir, part manifesto. Tony Hsieh tells the Zappos story, how a weird little online shoe company became legendary for both customer service and employee happiness. His philosophy? Profits follow purpose. If you care deeply about creating a people-first culture that actually wins in the market, this book offers proof it works.

What you'll learn:

• How to embed happiness into business strategy

• The impact of culture on customer experience

• How core values become daily decisions

• Why brand, service, and culture are inseparable

11. Remote: Office Not Required

Authors: Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson, Visionaries behind remote-first work culture at Basecamp.

What it’s about:
Long before remote work was mainstream, these guys were championing it. This book is a practical and philosophical guide to building companies that thrive without offices. It’s about trust, autonomy, and the tools that make distributed teams feel connected and productive. If you’re managing remote or hybrid teams, this is your operations bible.

What you'll learn:

• The myths and truths of remote work

• How to lead, measure, and support remote employees

• Tips to maintain connection and culture across time zones

• Why remote work requires clearer communication and more trust

12. Change the Culture, Change the Game

Authors: Roger Connors & Tom Smith, Experts in culture transformation and organizational performance.

What it’s about:
Culture isn’t soft. It’s measurable, manageable, and essential for performance. This book breaks down how belief systems drive behavior and how leaders can shape both. It’s especially useful for companies trying to turn around toxic environments or scale a culture full of purpose.

What you'll learn:

• How to shift beliefs that shape results

• The importance of storytelling in change

• Frameworks for managing accountability and alignment

• How to measure the ROI of culture change

13. Great Mondays

Author: Josh Levine, Culture consultant and leadership coach.

What it’s about:
Culture design isn’t a mystery. It’s a method. Josh Levine walks you through six core components of culture and how to bring them to life in your company. From values and purpose to rituals and rewards, this book is packed with design tools and real-world stories to make Mondays something your team actually looks forward to.

What you'll learn:

• How to identify and activate your company purpose

• The six parts of an intentional culture

• How to craft rituals and recognition systems that stick

• Ways to align leadership behavior with cultural goals

Final Thoughts

These 13 must-read HR books will totally level up your company culture. Whether you're building a stronger team, rethinking your hiring practices, or just looking for fresh ideas, these HR books will give you the knowledge and inspiration you need to succeed in HR. Ready to start reading? The culture you create tomorrow starts with the learning you do today!

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FAQs

1. What books to read for HR?
   Some essential HR books include:

1. HR from the Outside In by Dave Ulrich

2. Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek

3. The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle

4. The HR Scorecard by Brian Becker

5. Work Rules! by Laszlo Bock
   
   

2. How can we measure company culture?
   You can measure the company culture’s impact. Look at employee engagement, how often people quit (or stay), how safe they feel speaking up, and whether folks are excited to be at work. Real culture shows up in real behavior.
   
   

3. What’s one thing we can do today to improve our company culture?
   Talk less, listen more. Ask your team how they feel. Not in a survey, but for real. Fix one thing they mention. Follow through. Culture isn’t built with posters. It’s built with trust. And trust starts with showing up.
   
   

4. Can a remote team really have a strong company culture?
   It is all about sharing values. If your team feels seen, trusted, and connected, the location doesn’t matter. Just don’t let silence replace communication. Connection takes effort when screens are in between.