Beam Book. Your space to reflect, focus and grow.
Order your copyActua
Reading Inspiration on Making Work Better
Over the summer, we shared weekly book tips, all focused on making work better. Here’s the full line-up, in case you missed one or want to add them all to your shelf.
Book 1: HRM: Theory Meets Reality by Eveline Schollaert & Shana Mertens
HR isn’t copy-paste.
Eveline Schollaert and Shana Mertens zoom in on an often-overlooked truth: what works in one organization might fall flat in another.
Their book encourages us to look beyond ‘best practices’. It is about better thinking: understanding how areas such as leadership, hiring, rewards, performance management and wellbeing shift depending on the context.
Book 2: Hidden Potential by Adam Grant
Growth is not about the genius you possess. It’s about the character you build.
In Hidden Potential, Adam Grant flips the script on potential, focusing less on natural talent, and more on learning, resilience, and the environments that help people rise.
If you’ve ever felt overlooked or like a late bloomer, this one will resonate.
Book 3: The Psychology of Work and Organizations by Bart Wille & Joeri Hofmans
If you had €10 million in the bank, would you still work?
Most people say yes. Because work is more than income. It affects who we are, how we feel, and where we're heading.
This handbook by Bart Wille and Joeri Hofmans explores the psychology behind work in rich detail. With evidence-based insights on leadership, inclusion, selection, development, organizational design, and more.
A trusted reference for HR professionals who want to make work better.
Book 4: The Coaching Shift by Shonna Waters & Brodie Riordan
Coaching can be powerful… when it’s done right.
Backed by evidence, psychologists Shonna Waters and Brodie Riordan explore which coaching habits actually help, and which ones don’t.
The book shares tangible advice on building coaching skills, while developing a deeper understanding of yourself.
Book 5: Inclusion Nudges Guidebook by Lisa Kepinski & Tinna C. Nielsen
Bias training often misses the mark. Context works better.
Lisa Kepinski and Tinna C. Nielsen share 100 practical ways to redesign hiring, meetings and feedback, so inclusion becomes the norm, not a happy accident.
The book is a clear, research-based guide to doing inclusion through small, purposeful changes. Well worth adding to your reading stack.
Book 6: Op Maat (Tailor-Made) by Frank Vander Sijpe & David Ducheyne
With structural talent shortages, overlooking people is not an option.
In this book, Frank Vander Sijpe and David Ducheyne show why moving beyond one-size-fits-all jobs and employment types is a necessity.
It’s about personalised and flexible work design that brings overlooked talent into play and supports productivity.
Book 7: Wellbeing at Work by Ian Hesketh & Cary Cooper
Wellbeing isn’t a perk. It’s the solid ground people stand on.
In Wellbeing At Work, Ian Hesketh and Cary Cooper provide a clear guide to building healthier workplaces.
Cutting through the fluff, they show how small, smart systems can reduce stress and help people perform at their best.
Book 8: Make Work Fair by Iris Bohnet & Siri Chilazi
Good intentions don’t fix broken systems. Smart design does.
Harvard researchers Iris Bohnet and Siri Chilazi show how to integrate fairness into your daily practices and structures, rather than treating it as an add-on.
Even small changes to what you already do can create fairer processes and better outcomes.
Wrapping up
That’s a wrap on our 2025 edition summer series of HR reads. We hope these books continue to inspire you, in the way you reflect, the conversations you start and the actions you take. All with one shared goal: making work better for all.
Sources
Edward Vanhoutte
Managing Partner
