While monitoring the quality of your own human resources department, have you ever wondered what human resources positions of the past were like? We don’t necessarily delve deep into the history of human resources in school, outside of HR-dedicated majors, so you may be wondering how the field came to be. Keep reading to explore a quick history of the human resources field.
The 19th Century
Early human resources advocates began to organize in the 19th century, during the Industrial Revolution. The harshness of industrial conditions led workers to come together, expressing the needs of employees for healthy working conditions. They expressed to employers that the well-being of employees was integral to the quality of work and products. These voices standing against the harsh conditions of the Industrial Revolution planted the seeds of the human relations movement.
Advancements in the 20th Century
The 20th century saw considerable advancements in human resources management. In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt started the New Deal that helped solidify the human resources movement. The concept of HR became known as “industrial and labor relations.” Employers and employees were starting to consider HR management all around the world after the industrial revolution. For example, in England, one of the oldest groups dedicated to human resources formed as the “Welfare Workers’ Association—which would later become the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. In the early 1920s, schools and studies dedicated to human resources started to become more prevalent in the education field.
Modern HR
In the last century, we’ve seen prominent growth in the human resources field. U.S. Legislature started to take further steps to monitor and promote fair working conditions for all by signing the Equal Pay Act of 1963. In modern times, companies hire human resources departments to ensure that their business complies with laws and legislature like this. Human resources departments monitor working conditions just like early groups of the past during the Industrial Revolution. Now we have entire human resources recruitment agencies dedicated to helping businesses maintain the best HR practices.
Through this quick history of the human resources field, you can see how working conditions have evolved throughout history thanks to the development of HR practices. If you want to ensure that your business provides the best conditions for your employees and complies with important human resources regulations, consider working with The Christopher Group. We can help match you with the right human resources professionals for your open positions or evaluate your current HR department.