Are we really resources? What is "Human" resource? Is it time to give us all the benefit of doubt and qualify ourselves better?
A common definition for Resource would usually read – A resource is usually a source / reserve / supply of something that is consumed / can be drawn on, to function effectively.
A similar definition of Human Resources would read – A set or collection of people who make a workforce of a company.
Are we then OK to be labeled as “Resources” and “Human Resources” at that? Add to this, you would normally hear headcount (thankfully, not body count), Compensation (for what, for damages / grief incurred?), Normalization, Low performing, High performing etc. You may also hear these words in a Circus (maybe not the normalization piece yet).
I strongly feel that tagging this whole ecosystem as Human Resources, relegates us to non human elements / objects and somehow also helps in dictating and / or typecasting the whole “user experience” for a normal human resource accordingly (devoid of emotions and all the other sensitive dynamics that differentiate logs from us)!
HR and Resources (people) are usually two distinct and well non integrated functions across the world and anywhere else - structurally, logically and otherwise.
Can't we do better?
There is a larger shift in mindset, culture and thinking needed – to re-brand ourselves into something that justifies our intellect, value, dynamics, capability and package it accordingly.
Some companies are / have already replaced HR with Human Capital. A marginally better term?
What is needed is not just re-branding but a total re-engineering of sorts and this has to be pervasive, inclusive and uprooting in nature.
While it may be easy to brand or re-brand this ecosystem, actual challenge would be in revamping traditional HR concepts / functions so as to match with the next generation needs of the “workforce” (emotional, cognitive and intuitive).
I would love to see a People Architect, a People Tester and a People Debugger (in a radical thinking sort of way) which could probably be one way to look at an overhaul of sorts.
This is only possible if we want to do this.
We will be part of a system that aligns with how we think, act and work, and would not be based on what we are made to be!
WE may have a better way of understanding ourselves, and our peers / others and culturally function as a common unit (across HR and R).
Our own current mindset and tendency to embrace inertia.
HR is always a touchy subject - politically, socially and mentally (within an organization and across).
Complexity in defining what can be termed as the right culture.
Acknowledge that this could be a problem area and an area of change.
Call for inputs across and within organizations - to assess wider opinion on the same.
Get going!
This hack has been adapted from one of my posts from my blog.
Great points, Himesh. I recommend we keep this topic in collaboration until "enough" influential leaders take a stand to recognize human beings as the unique individuals we all are. That is without status, gender, age, race or other divisive categories. Agree...resources refer to "things" in the world - not people. When we quit exploiting things, maybe humans can be appreciated for who we are, too! Higher consciousness says it's one system, one world, and we don't own it - we're simply stewards.
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Thanks Ruth, for your feedback and your perspective. Especially loved your statement on us being stewards and on the need to have a broader outlook.
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