Human resources (HR) is the division of a business that is charged with finding, screening, recruiting, and training job applicants. It also administers employee-benefit programs.

HR plays a key role in helping companies deal with a fast-changing business environment and a greater demand for quality employees in the 21st century.

John R. Commons, an American institutional economist, first coined the term human resource in his book The Distribution of Wealth, published in 1893. However, it was not until the 20th century that HR departments were formally developed and tasked with addressing misunderstandings between employees and their employers.