Seven common misconceptions about human resource practices: Research findings versus practitioner beliefs

Most organizations do not employ state-of-the-art human resources practices. However, recent research suggests that human resources (HR) practices can have considerable impact on both individual and organizational performance. These findings strongly suggest that not knowing this HR research can be costly to organizations. This article pinpoints areas where HR practitioners seem to be most unaware of research findings related to effective HR practices, based on responses by a large sample of HR managers. The seven questions that exhibited the greatest disagreement between current research findings and respondents' beliefs are explored, along with their management implications and suggestions for implementing the findings.