human resources

American  

[hyoo-muhn ree-sawr-sis, ree-zawr-siz, yoo-muhn] / ˈhyu mən ˈri sɔr sɪs, ˈri zɔr sɪz, ˈyu mən /

noun

1. (used with a plural verb) people, especially the personnel employed by a given company, institution, or the like.

2. (used with a singular verb) human resources department.

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human resources British  

plural noun

1. 1. the workforce of an organization

   2. ( as modifier )

      human-resources management

      human-resources officer

2. 1. the office or department in an organization that interviews, appoints, or keeps records of employees

   2. ( as modifier )

      a human-resources consultancy

3. the contribution to an employing organization which its workforce could provide in effort, skills, knowledge, etc

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Etymology

Origin of human resources

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Wu Jingliang, a human resources manager in Beijing, got a raise at the beginning of the year, and the first financial move her family made was to increase their monthly savings rate.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

“I’ve been here nearly 20 years and seeing this going from concept to reality has been the greatest thing,” said Tiffany August, associate vice president of LACMA’s people and culture department, which oversees human resources.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Moving a corporate stock plan can take months if not years and can require approval from corporate human resources departments and other stakeholders.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

And they shouldn’t be given a specific job title, Nickle LaMoreaux, chief human resources officer at IBM said, speaking Thursday at the WSJ Leadership Institute’s Chief People Officer Summit in Menlo Park, Calif.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

I did not know anyone—besides the human resources manager at my father's work—who had one car, let alone three.

From "I Will Always Write Back" by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda