What’s in a name

Antoine Bruel
Nov 1 · 2 min read

Staff, personnel, employees, workforce, human capital. So many different denominations for people. But only one counterpart, one voice to frame their onboarding and integration and ensure their link with the place they’re going to spend more time at then home. Departments known as HR.

Such a wide denomination for such little credit it has been given all these years.

Probably to offset the actual rather too thin power or voice in companies up until recently, were they given a pompous label.

Their role was 75% administrative and transactional : onboard, outgoing interviews, pays/contracts, anything outside of the job and mission scope . Therefore not directly tied to the person or organisations capability to thrive and grow but rather something administratively required.

Times are changing as the name does.

People development, career management, talent acquisition, people analytics & insights

New names for new roles ? New perspectives, new scope of action, new impact. In part because technology reshapes the function with new, deeper, capabilities.

Most definitely.

The first thing coming to my mind in this change is the rapport it implements, the change in perception to people. We don’t want to consider them a resource but a real asset to invest in, grow, and maximise ROI.

The interest on part of the organisation is very rational and financial. But it turns into a very humane and relational strategy.

Build a back and forth channel to maximise the chances of aligning all the interests in the company : the whole must be greater than the sum of its parts.

HR departments have the opportunity to become the real architect of the organisations.

#humanresources #peopledevelopment #futureofwork

Antoine Bruel

Written by

I’m not your average baguette eater. Here to comment on innovation, tech, life, disruption. Take a trip into my mind. Go check out @Braincitieslab

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade