The number one glossary suggestion and question that people request on this site is: “What is the definition of human resources?”
William R. Tracey, in The Human Resources Glossary defines Human Resources as: "The people that staff and operate an organization … as contrasted with the financial and material resources of an organization. The organizational function that deals with the people ..."
Human Resources evolved from personnel as the field moved beyond paying employees and managing employee benefits. The evolution made verbal the fact that people are an organization's most important resource. People are an asset that must be hired, satisfied, developed, and retained.
Long a term used sarcastically by individuals in the line organization, because it relegates humans to the same category as financial and material resources, human resources will be replaced by more people and organization friendly terms in the future.
More About Human Resources Management
- Human Resources Management OneStop: HR Site Overview
- Human Resources Management Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Book Reviews for HRM
- HR Acronyms
More About Careers in Human Resource Management
- So, You Think You Want a Career in Human Resources?
- Beginning a Career in Human Resources
- Mid-career Change and Mid-career Development in HR
- Later Career Change and Later Career Development in HR
- Career Success in HR
Human Resource Management Glossary Index:
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