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

The retaliation began after Lodes, a 25-year veteran of the department, formally reported workplace harassment with human resources in March 2022, according to the complaint.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Still, in recent months, he has seen more hiring for jobs in fields such as healthcare and in AI-related roles, even as recruitment in human resources and marketing has dropped off.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

“Everyone was talking about it the next day and asking about the next one,” said Ivanna Di Pietro Fischer, head of human resources in Barcelona.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 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

When I say run a company, I mean keeping track of inventory, staying in touch with customers, recruiting, project management, product development, scheduling, budgeting, and human resources.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman