Just a small reflection on Human resources terminology.
I’ve always been obsessed (literally) by “Human resources” subject within the organization.
The huge, vast literature on this matter depicts the human resources, the role and the importance they play within a company and ultimately how their management can affect drastically company results, by all mean and in all aspects
As a consultant and former manager, I had to and still deal, with this night and day (and by the way it is still what keeps me awake at night).
One of the thing which recently struck me out was the verbal expression of it: human resources which should indeed be better changed into human capital, in fact.
Resources (QUOTE from Wikipedia) “is a source or supply from which a benefit is produced OMISSIS”. It makes me really uncomfortable dealing and thinking about human beings considered as resources; verbal does matter and to relate to people as resources are not fair, in my opinion. Resource ties and imply very often and quickly to the finite concept or, worse, to something which can be exploited. As matter of fact, we are facing regretfully an increase of harassment, demotion or other unpleasant situations in the companies; it would be trivial, however, blame the word “resources” of this increasingly, unpleasant trend. There are more important and wider reasons for that, of course.
Still, I stand on the verbal expression point and to this regard I deem Capital, instead, should be considered more appropriate. Despite its potential disambiguation, I am convinced that it does express better what is the concept beyond something which allows companies or communities to thrive and prosper. Something without which we cannot live; something which also gives the feeling of the importance that people deserve. Eventually, capital is something which resonates better or louder, for lack of better definition.
Resource as something functional to achieve or accomplish a task, whatever important it may be; capital as something fundamental and vital to the development and the prosperity of the communities.
This is the definition I like the most.
Do not blame me for being “wording or word feticist”; at first sight words might not be that important, however, they bind or fix concept beyond them and the sooner we realise it, the better our relationships amongst ourselves will turn.