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

Her side gig of creating nonplastic children’s cups and lunch boxes became her main gig after she lost her human resources job at Macy’s during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026

Aside from more jobs in areas such as construction, gardening, human resources and science, "benefits" would include "improved bus links, cycling routes, flood resilience, and biodiverse landscaping".

From BBC • May 19, 2026

Biosphere's human resources director in Dnipro, Olena Shpitz, said the factory employs 500 people, down from 800 before Russia invaded in 2022.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

Some suppliers to GE Aerospace, for instance, are still recovering from the pandemic, limiting their ability to attract workers, says Christian Meisner, GE Aerospace’s chief human resources officer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 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