Autonomy · competence · relatedness
Self-determination theory ↗
Support the quality of motivation by making room for agency, mastery and connection.
Edward L. Deci & Richard M. Ryan · 1985 onwardA field guide to people & work
Good people decisions
start with understanding.
Employment law, workplace psychology and HR strategy. Clear explanations. Useful models. The evidence behind the ideas.
37 practical guides22 model sketches82 dictionary terms
MODEL NOTES / 001↗
How does HR
make a difference?
The HR causal chainAfter Guest, 1997
The legal desk
Know what applies. Know what’s next.
September 2026 briefingEmployment rights
Employment rights
are changing.
Timing matters.
Separate current duties from forthcoming reforms, with jurisdiction notes and links to official guidance.
Read the reform guide ↗The model shelf
Big ideas. Clearly drawn.
There is no single best way
Contingency theory & strategic fit ↗
Choose HR practices that fit the work and its context, while keeping legal and ethical standards consistent.
Paul R. Lawrence & Jay W. Lorsch; wider contingency tradition · 1967Workload & the resources to meet it
Job demands–resources ↗
Investigate the design of work when strain rises, instead of assuming the answer is greater individual resilience.
Evangelia Demerouti, Arnold Bakker, Friedhelm Nachreiner & Wilmar Schaufeli · 2001From idea to practice
Build a stronger people strategy.
People → performance01
The HR causal chain
Explain how a people initiative is supposed to change business outcomes—and test every link.
David E. Guest2 min
AMO framework02
Ability, motivation and opportunity
A performance problem may be about capability, willingness, or the chance to contribute. Diagnose before prescribing.
Thomas Bailey2 min
There is no single best way03
Contingency theory & strategic fit
Choose HR practices that fit the work and its context, while keeping legal and ethical standards consistent.
Paul R. Lawrence2 min
The HR dictionary
Less jargon.
More clarity.
82 plain-language definitions, connected to the ideas and rules behind them.
Open the A–Z →P
Term of the edition
Psychological contract
The promises people believe exist between themselves and their organisation. Often unwritten. Always worth understanding.
Read the definition ↗A good place to begin
Follow a reading path.
Curious. Practical.
Grounded in sources.
Every guide points back to its evidence. Model sketches are original interpretations with named authors. Legal pages carry review dates and scope notes.
How this library is put together ↗