Human resources is the area of business concerned with people—the relationship between employer and employees. Happier workers mean better business. Human resource professionals are there to make sure that employees' individual needs are taken care of so that the organization as a whole has a sense of teamwork and shared purpose.
Human resources professionals work in virtually every industry and have diverse ... responsibilities, from helping an organization to recruit top talent to putting on professional development programs for existing personnel. The human resources department may also be the liaison between an organization and unions, lawyers, or other third-party interests. They make sure that employees and employers fulfill their obligations to each other, honoring contracts and maintaining fair and respectful working conditions
Human Resources is a common concentration for M.B.A. (Masters of Business Administration) degrees, but it is also possible to earn an associate's, bachelor's, or even doctorate in this area. Professional degree programs in Human Resources are usually business-focused with an emphasis on organizational psychology. There may also be coursework in sociology, contract law, multiculturalism and organized labor.
Because human resources covers such a range of activities and job duties, there are many different job titles in this field. In 2008, the median annual salary for compensation and benefits managers was $86,500; for training and development managers, it was $87,700; and for all other human resources managers, it was $96,130. Some individuals may even take a career in human resources all the way to the executive level.
