Once upon a time, HR wasn’t called HR at all. It was Personnel. Then it became Human Resources.
Now, more and more organisations simply call it People.
At first glance, it might feel like a branding exercise. A re-label. A trend.
But if you’ve worked in HR Recruitment for any length of time, you know this shift isn’t superficial; it reflects a profound change in how organisations view work, leadership, culture-and the humans who make businesses run.
So the question is: what does this evolution really say about the HR profession?
And perhaps more importantly…where does it leave us now?
Summary
The evolution of HR from “Personnel” to “People” reflects a shift from transactional compliance to a focus on human experience. While the “Personnel” era focused on order and the “Human Resources” era on strategic assets, the modern “People” era treats employees as individuals. Success now depends on building environments where people feel they belong and can thrive.
Key Takeaways
* The shift to “People” acknowledges that culture, trust, and belonging drive high performance.
* Modern People teams prioritize building environments where employees choose to stay, rather than just managing a workforce.
* Renaming HR is a cosmetic exercise unless it is backed by a change in leadership mindset and systems.
* Exceptional HR leaders must balance being data-driven with being human-centred and empathetic.
The “Personnel” Era: Order, compliance, control
The term Personnel emerged during a time when work was largely transactional.
- Employees were hired to perform tasks
- Hierarchies were rigid
- Success meant efficiency, compliance, and stability
Personnel departments focused on:
- Payroll and contracts
- Attendance and records
- Policies and industrial relations
There was nothing wrong with this – organisations needed structure, but people were often treated as units of labour rather than contributors of ideas, creativity, or culture.
In this era, HR wasn’t at the table. It was administering the table.
Human Resources: Progress – with a catch
Then came Human Resources – a term that, at the time, felt progressive as calling people a “resource” implied value, investment and capability.
HR then evolved into:
- Strategic workforce planning
- Performance management
- Learning and development
- Talent pipelines
HR began speaking the language of the business, focusing on productivity, ROI and capability gaps. But here’s the tension many HR professionals still feel today:
When people are positioned as resources, they risk being managed like assets -optimised, measured, and replaced.
That meant, as a profession we gained strategic credibility, but often at the cost of humanity – something that I know really irks many people professionals.
The Rise of “People”: A cultural statement
The shift toward using language such as “People and Culture”, “People Operations”, or simply “People” signals something deeper.
It acknowledges that:
- Humans aren’t interchangeable
- Culture drives performance
- Engagement isn’t manufactured – it’s experienced
- Belonging, trust, and purpose really matter
In today’s world of hybrid work, burnout, skills shortages, and values-driven employees, HR isn’t just supporting the business. HR – or rather “People” are the business, and People teams are no longer asking “How do we manage our workforce?”
They’re asking “How do we build an environment where people can thrive – and then choose to stay?”
Want to talk?
At The HR Recruiters, we don’t just fill roles; we partner with you to find people who influence leadership and get sh*t done. No fluff—just high-impact professionals who genuinely value people. Ready to shape the future of your workplace? Let’s talk
So, is this simply a name change?
Not in my view.
Renaming HR as “People” without changing mindsets, systems, or leadership behaviour is a cosmetic exercise at best, so then really, what’s the point?
There’s no denying the world of employment has changed throughout the decades, with a deeper understanding of human psychology and the drivers of high performance being more prevalent to employers than ever before.
The most successful organisations now, are the ones that really pay attention to their people. They don’t treat them simply as “resources”, they treat them as individual humans, with individual needs and motivators and skills. They recognise that in order to get the very best from hose individuals they need to build trust and engage them in an enjoyable experience at work.
Today’s most successful company’s are:
- Designing work around humans, not squeezing humans into systems
- Measuring success beyond output – at wellbeing, inclusion, and growth
- Hiring for values and culture, not just technical competence
- Giving HR a real voice in strategic decisions, where people data leads the way
This is where many organisations stumble – and where exceptional HR leaders stand out.
What This Means for HR Professionals Today
If you work in HR or People and Culture, you’re navigating one of the most complex eras the profession has ever faced.
You’re expected to be:
- Commercially sharp
- Emotionally intelligent
- Data-driven and human-centred
- Strategic and deeply empathetic
That’s no small ask. And it’s why HR today isn’t about job titles – instead it’s about impact and measurement.
Where recruitment fits into the evolution
At The HR Recruiters, we see this evolution play out every day. The most successful HR hires aren’t just technically strong – they:
- Align with leadership values
- Understand the emotional temperature of organisations
- Balance compliance with care
- Act as cultural architects, not policy enforcers
- They get sh*t done – no fluff, just plenty of impact
That’s why we don’t just recruit HR professionals. We partner with organisations to hire the people who shape cultures, influence leadership, and future-proof workplaces, regardless of the title.
A final thought
The journey from Personnel to Human Resources to People isn’t about semantics.
It’s a mirror.
It reflects how organisations see their people – and how HR professionals see themselves. So perhaps the real question isn’t what should we call HR next?
It’s this:
Are we building workplaces where people feel like resources – or a place where they feel like they truly belong and therefore can do their very best work?
If you’re passionate about shaping the future of work – and surrounding yourself with organisations that genuinely value people – we’d love to be part of that conversation.
