# The Rise of Humanity Resources By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2022-09-11 Human Resources (HR) or its re-branded cousin People Operations is a paradox. They want the business to treat humans with [[dignity]] and respect, but they exist to serve the needs of the business regardless of human considerations. They are concerned with following legal regulations to protect the business, yet encourage things like fun runs and community service. A skeptical view is that all the nice elements of HR, including the bean bag chairs and free lunches, are really a way to protect business [[interests]]. For example, having a physically healthier workforce could reduce business insurance costs and happier people may be less likely to quit and cause disruptions. While the motives may be questionable, being healthier and happier will likely benefit the individual. I believe that most HR professionals genuinely want the best for people in this way. It could even be a subversive way for them to get businesses to treat people not as [[Fika|robots]] but as people. However, intentions are everything and it's risky to put yourself out there for a cause. Written job descriptions offer no protection or authority to do anything in business. [[Words]] are as useful as they are vague. Anything can be spun around to mean something else. If the stated role of HR is to support a culture of healthy and happy employees, then someone needs to define what happiness is. Then they need to figure out whether anybody has the authority to declare and enforce actions of happiness. Does management have the authority to enforce health and happiness? Does it even matter? Are business needs more important than individual needs? HR professionals live at a unique intersection of ideals and a very messy [[reality]]. Serious philosophical and ethical questions abound, yet most HR organizations revert to a surface-level position of executing transactions versus really addressing the issues. Again, [[All action, no progress|all actions and no progress]]. The philosophy of human resources desperately needs addressing beyond the realm of business and scientific management belief systems. This is especially the case with the rising public consciousness that our idea of work is flawed and that things like [[Quiet quitting as a silent protest movement|quiet quitting are often the best path forward]]. The future of HR is the synthesis of the humanities with the realities of work. Achieving this will require courage and a renewed focus on the [[Society|liberal arts]]. #### Related Items [[Humanities]] [[Human Resources]] [[Philosophy]] [[Business]] [[Scientific Management]] [[Quiet Quitting]] [[Subversive]] [[Authority]]