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HR — Verb or Adjective
Human resources (HR) is a critical component of any organization. The function is responsible for the management of personnel, recruitment, and other related activities. However, the way HR is done is influenced by whether the practitioner sees HR as a verb or an adjective.
HR as an Adjective
Seeing HR as an adjective means that it is seen as a set of policies and practices that are put in place to manage the people within an organization. HR is viewed as creating guidelines, procedures, and processes that help manage employee recruitment, development, and retention. This view of HR emphasizes processes and the function focuses on ensuring that policies are implemented and adhered to by all employees.
HR as a Verb
On the other hand, viewing HR as a verb means seeing it as an active process of engaging with employees — rather than just managing them. This approach sees HR as a dynamic, fluid process that seeks to understand the needs of employees and provide support to meet those needs. HR professionals who see their role as a verb will be proactive and innovative, constantly seeking new ways to create a positive workplace culture and employee engagement.
The impact on the organization
If HR is viewed as an adjective, the focus is on enforcing rules and regulations, and it becomes bureaucratic and overly rigid with no thought about the employee as a person. This approach is detrimental to employee engagement as it creates a sense of disconnect between HR and employees. This will result in a lack of trust and a negative attitude towards HR.
However, if HR is viewed as a verb, the focus is on engagement and support, and there is an emphasis on building relationships between HR and employees. This approach effective in creating a positive workplace culture and employee engagement. When HR is viewed as a verb, HR professionals are more likely to be proactive and innovative in addressing employee needs, which can result in higher levels of job satisfaction and employee retention.
Conclusion
Whether the HR practitioner sees HR as a verb or an adjective will have a significant impact on how HR is done in an organization. When HR is viewed as a verb, it becomes an active process of engagement with employees that seeks to understand and meet their needs. In contrast, when HR is seen as an adjective, the focus is on enforcing rules and regulations which result in a disconnect between HR and employees. Effective HR professionals are those who see their role as a verb and hence a strategic function that is essential to the overall success of an organization.
