A New Name for HR?

There's been a lot of blogging lately about renaming HR and making HR sexy. And, we just happen to be running a contest at work right now to change our department's name. It is one of our Founder's hopes and dreams that HR will soon be called something more inspiring.

Seth Godin thinks we should call ourselves "Talent"

Marginally Submersive thinks perhaps it should be "Talent Empowerment"

So far our employees have come up with:
People People
Internal Relations
Talent Team
Employee Care
Central Command
Fools Support
The A-TeamB E T R (Benefits, Employee Training, Recruiting)
Fool's Gold
Human League
Foolies
The Awesome
Fool Power
Fanthropologists
Human Capitalists
Foolish Resources
Cruise Directors
The Mortal Refuge
Indi-Wherewithal (indi = individual)
Fool Joys (Jobs Offering You Sunshine)
Fools R Us
Care Bears
BeneFools
Fool Force/ The Force
Fool Raising Group
Ground Control
Mission Control
The Mother Ship
Starship Enterprise
Fool Central
And many, many, many more

I had a hard time with this at first. I've always considered Human Resources my profession. To me, it's not just the name of a department. My Graduate Degree is in Human Resources Management. It's what I do; it's what I love. Mark Willaman says that it doesn't matter what you call us, that companies who "don't get it" still won't "get it" when we have a new name. But, alas...maybe I'm just getting old. Maybe there is something better out there.

Brett Astor says that, "The truth is that this 'HR' is outdated language - left over from a different age - an age in business when machines were the major resources and people were just there to run the machines. Back then it was 'check your brain at the door' and do as you're told."

So, this seems to be a growing theme out there. That we need some "re-branding." But finding a name that covers everything that we do is so hard! I always that that Human Resources kind of covered it...everything relating to "Humans". Some days I feel like a Guidance Counselor. Some days I feel like Santa Claus. Some days I feel like a Tax Advisor. Some days I feel like strangling the....

Hmmm....I think I'll stop there.

Have a great weekend!