human resources

American  

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

See Examples For:

human resources

A few seats away, 30-year-old human resources manager Julia Garcia has done the same.

From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026

According to the suit, Jane Doe’s complaints and reports to her supervisors and human resources about her alleged treatment were dismissed and that they “failed to take timely or effective corrective action.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Lovable’s platform can be used to develop tools for a range of business functions, including managing human resources, sales and finance departments.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

He had hoped to become a political or policy analyst after graduation, but fierce competition in the entry-level job market has forced him to broaden his search to areas like human resources.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026

“And how did you become the human resources manager?”

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