- A celebration that this year has more meaning than ever
- There are professions that sustain the world without the world noticing it too much. People management is one of them
Every May 20, International Human Resources Day is celebrated, a date dedicated to recognizing and honoring the vital work of HR professionals in organizations around the world. This year, in the midst of technological transformation, this celebration has a special value.
THE ORIGIN: FROM THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION TO STRATEGIC PEOPLE MANAGEMENT
The history of HR can be placed in the mid-19th century, during the Industrial Revolution that took place mainly in the United States and Europe. Mechanization and assembly line production generated dissatisfaction among workers, which made the first measures necessary to try to solve problems associated with housing, health, and personnel schedules. The most relevant measure was the creation of the so-called “Welfare Departments” in some organizations.
The first time the term HR was coined was in 1893, when economist John R. Commons included it in one of his works. It was not until the 1910s and 1920s that it began to gain popularity.
We could frame the rise of Human Resources departments between the end of the First World War and the Great Depression, a period in which new laws appeared that forced companies to fulfill certain social functions. Since then, the function has not stopped evolving: from administrative to strategic, from managing contracts to managing cultures, from registering people to developing talent.
WHY IT IS CELEBRATED ON MAY 20
This international celebration was created thanks to the proposal of the European Association for People Management (EAPM), with the aim of making visible the positive impact that Human Resources departments have on people and organizations.
The first edition was held on May 20, 2020, promoted by the World Federation of People Management Associations (WFPMA), under the slogan “Human Resources, shaping the new future”. Today it is celebrated in more than 30 countries around the world.
2026: A KEY YEAR FOR HR
This May 20 is not just another celebration. It is a recognition that comes at the most challenging and meaningful moment that the people function has experienced in decades.
Artificial intelligence is redesigning work. Roles are evolving faster than training systems can keep up. People carry more uncertainty than at any other time in recent history. And at the center of all that — managing the transition, sustaining the culture, taking care of well-being, and designing the work of the future — are Human Resources professionals. Not always with the resources they need. Not always with the recognition they deserve. But always there.
This May 20 is the day to strongly reinforce: the people function is not a support for the business. It is a silent engine that determines whether organizations can transform without losing what is most important — their people.
It is a debt worth settling. The professionals who sustain the human capital of this country every day deserve, at least, for the State to name them.
A MESSAGE FOR THOSE WHO WORK IN HR
If you work in people management today — in any role, in any industry, in any size of organization — this day is yours.
For every difficult conversation you had before anyone else noticed. For every process you redesigned to make it fairer. For every person you accompanied in a transition they did not ask for. For every time you sustained the culture when everything else was changing.
AI can automate many things. It cannot replace the judgment, empathy, or commitment to people brought by someone who chose this profession with conviction.
Happy International Human Resources Day.
Source: +RedRH