HR is a commonly used acronym for Human Resources, also referred to as Human Resource Management or HRM. HR is fundamentally an expression of an organizations belief in the employee element of that organisations success. (Quick note, if like me you’re a fan of metaphors please feel free to check out my What is Human Resources post where I talk about lifecycles within organizations as a way to explain HR). HR pure and simple is the implementation of a strategy to drive innovation, productivity and share price through mobilizing the workforce towards excellence. As David Ulrich (recognized thought leader in HR) states “HR must give value or give notice”. The ability of HR to add value lies in its ability to leverage the tools that it has at its disposal, these include: