Introductions All Around

Hello my fellow human resource learners. I say learners because isn't that what we all are? The human resource profession is a constantly evolving one, where federal, state, and local (and, for some human resource professionals, international) laws are continually being reinterpreted or clarified. It is an area of practice where some dance a short rumba with human resources here and there and others practice it each day as if readying for a dance competition!

What do the words "human resources" mean, though? We can use the BusinessDictionary.com definition: "The division of a company that is focused on activities relating to employees. These activities normally include recruiting and hiring of new employees, orientation and training of current employees, employee benefits, and retention." That seems a bit dry and, let's face it, boring. Is that what the field of human resources is all about, the simple reaction of human resource professionals to the daily operations of an organization? Much has been said about the strategic aspects of human resources as of late, so much so that it is becoming more of a buzzword and less about the underlying importance of what the human in human resources is all about.

Let's consider the FreeDictionary.com definition that focuses on the economic impact of human resources: "... the contribution to an employing organization which its workforce could provide in effort, skills, knowledge, etc." I like that. That's what human resources is about and that's where we bring value to an organization - managing the unique assets that each and every employee brings and the intrinsic value those assets hold.