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Perspective 15
HR is moving from Human Resources
to Human Relationships
People are not assets to be managed.
HR has long been seen as the department that looks after people. It’s a vital role in any organisation. But somewhere along the way, many HR functions became focused more on managing people than enabling them. Some drifted into the world of policing, compliance and control, with rules, contracts, policies and procedures taking centre stage. But people are not problems to be managed or risks to be reduced. They are the heartbeat of every organisation.
We’ve seen grievance procedures and performance reviews become legalistic tools, rather than opportunities for growth and support. We’ve watched talented people boxed into narrowly defined roles, leaving their ideas untapped, feeling frustrated and unfulfilled.
But there is another way.
In the Work It Out Way, we see that people are no longer assets to be used. Staff are not resources to be managed. They are not boxes on an organisation chart. They are individuals who are full of creativity, care, ideas and passion. And this fundamentally changes the concept of ‘HR’, because we are not resources! We’re partners.
We’re collaborators. We’re a community of people, working together.
HR no longer needs to stand for Human Resources, but Human Relationships. It’s the bridge that connects individual growth with collective purpose. This is not just about systems and policies. It’s about meaning. It's about helping every person discover how they can contribute, grow and flourish - not only within the organisation, but in the communities they live in, and in the wider world we all share.
In this new model, the HR team is no longer the department of control or compliance. It is no longer about policing the workforce or enforcing the rules. Instead, our Trainers and People Specialists show up first as themselves. Then they look to serve, support and be part of the new communities that are growing. They promote the development of links across the organisation (silo busting) and encourage individuals to bring their full skillset to the organisation. The building of trust and the focus on impact and meaning are the key guides.
Our ‘HR team’ are colleagues full of heart, leading the way in our business. HR people can move from the periphery to the core of what we do and who we are.
Our HR function becomes the place where purpose is explored and encouraged, not handed down from above. Living and dynamic purpose is discovered in conversations, coaching, shared experiences, and new kinds of collaboration. It’s where we help each individual to find their own pocket of purpose, that unique space where their skills, passions and potential come together to make a real difference.
These individual purposes, when nurtured, create ripples. First, in the workplace, through projects, new ideas, and connections with others. Then in our communities, as people bring their energy, time and care into local initiatives, customer relationships, and teal local impact. And finally, in the world, where the organisation becomes more than just a place of employment. It becomes a force for good.
This is about building a new ecosystem. It’s one where purpose is personal yet interconnected. It’s where careers aren’t linear but collaborative. It’s where HR becomes the heartbeat of the organisation, linking people, teams and possibilities together across the organisation, into the communities we serve and onwards into the wider world.
Human Relationships, therefore, is not a department. It’s a movement at the heart of the organisation. It links people, unlocks potential, encourages collaboration, and connects our internal growth with external impact. It helps us see that inclusion is not a programme, and personal development is not a tick-box. They are expressions of something much deeper. They are signs that we are growing, together.
Let’s stop treating people as resources to be managed and start seeing them as creators, collaborators and contributors to something much greater. Let’s build organisations where the HR function is the connector of people, purpose and possibility. It’s where every conversation is a chance to build something new, and where meaning flows, not just from our job descriptions, but from the difference we make in the lives of others.
That’s the Work It Out Way and it’s the future of HR (Human Relationships) in our businesses.
HR has long been seen as the department that looks after people. It’s a vital role in any organisation. But somewhere along the way, many HR functions became focused more on managing people than enabling them. Some drifted into the world of policing, compliance and control, with rules, contracts, policies and procedures taking centre stage. But people are not problems to be managed or risks to be reduced. They are the heartbeat of every organisation.
We’ve seen grievance procedures and performance reviews become legalistic tools, rather than opportunities for growth and support. We’ve watched talented people boxed into narrowly defined roles, leaving their ideas untapped, feeling frustrated and unfulfilled.
But there is another way.
In the Work It Out Way, we see that people are no longer assets to be used. Staff are not resources to be managed. They are not boxes on an organisation chart. They are individuals who are full of creativity, care, ideas and passion. And this fundamentally changes the concept of ‘HR’, because we are not resources! We’re partners.
We’re collaborators. We’re a community of people, working together.
HR no longer needs to stand for Human Resources, but Human Relationships. It’s the bridge that connects individual growth with collective purpose. This is not just about systems and policies. It’s about meaning. It's about helping every person discover how they can contribute, grow and flourish - not only within the organisation, but in the communities they live in, and in the wider world we all share.
In this new model, the HR team is no longer the department of control or compliance. It is no longer about policing the workforce or enforcing the rules. Instead, our Trainers and People Specialists show up first as themselves. Then they look to serve, support and be part of the new communities that are growing. They promote the development of links across the organisation (silo busting) and encourage individuals to bring their full skillset to the organisation. The building of trust and the focus on impact and meaning are the key guides.
Our ‘HR team’ are colleagues full of heart, leading the way in our business. HR people can move from the periphery to the core of what we do and who we are.
Our HR function becomes the place where purpose is explored and encouraged, not handed down from above. Living and dynamic purpose is discovered in conversations, coaching, shared experiences, and new kinds of collaboration. It’s where we help each individual to find their own pocket of purpose, that unique space where their skills, passions and potential come together to make a real difference.
These individual purposes, when nurtured, create ripples. First, in the workplace, through projects, new ideas, and connections with others. Then in our communities, as people bring their energy, time and care into local initiatives, customer relationships, and teal local impact. And finally, in the world, where the organisation becomes more than just a place of employment. It becomes a force for good.
This is about building a new ecosystem. It’s one where purpose is personal yet interconnected. It’s where careers aren’t linear but collaborative. It’s where HR becomes the heartbeat of the organisation, linking people, teams and possibilities together across the organisation, into the communities we serve and onwards into the wider world.
Human Relationships, therefore, is not a department. It’s a movement at the heart of the organisation. It links people, unlocks potential, encourages collaboration, and connects our internal growth with external impact. It helps us see that inclusion is not a programme, and personal development is not a tick-box. They are expressions of something much deeper. They are signs that we are growing, together.
Let’s stop treating people as resources to be managed and start seeing them as creators, collaborators and contributors to something much greater. Let’s build organisations where the HR function is the connector of people, purpose and possibility. It’s where every conversation is a chance to build something new, and where meaning flows, not just from our job descriptions, but from the difference we make in the lives of others.
That’s the Work It Out Way and it’s the future of HR (Human Relationships) in our businesses.
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Work it Out! is part of Diversiton and is non profit making.
Copyright © Diversiton 2003-2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Copyright © Diversiton 2003-2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.