Wikipedia defines Human Resources as the set of individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, business sector or an economy.  In other words, we are the backbone of the company.   No company can survive without employees, more specifically, good employees.  Any Joe Schmoe can set up shop and put up a now hiring sign.  But does Joe really know what he’s looking for in an employee?  Does Joe know how to determine whether or not Jane Doe has the right skills for the job?  Can Joe discern whether or not John or Jane Doe will stay with his company for more than a week?  In most instances Joe has no idea.   How about once John or Jane Doe is hired?   Does Joe know exactly what is required to verify employment eligibility?  What about payroll and benefits? And so on and so forth.  Having an experienced Human Resources administrator can make or break the company.

I started working in the HR field around the year 2000.  I have done recruiting and staffing, worked with benefits, processed payroll, you name it.  And every job I’ve held, every aspect of the Human Resources field is extremely important and rewarding.  There are times where you get stuck with grunge work, working late nights, and having to deliver bad news to candidates, hiring managers, and co-workers.  But  everything else is awesome like helping someone truly qualified and deserving find a job; ensuring that employees are paid correctly; and having a hiring manager show appreciation for your assistance in placing the right candidate in the job.  The perks definitely outweigh the grunge.

From the time I set foot into my first corporate setting in 1995, I wanted to work in Human Resources.  Ahhh, the coveted HR Department!  I have worked for quite a few, ok let’s be real, SEVERAL different companies.  And almost always, it’s virtually impossible to transition into a position in the Human Resources department.  For one thing, Human Resources employees just don’t want to leave!  They almost never seem to want to transfer OUT of Human Resources.  They rarely resign and take forever to retire.  And while I was waiting for someone, anyone, to quit, retire, get fired, or relocate to the Czech Republic…so was everyone else in the company.  So while getting into the HR department, in any capacity, was a challenge.  I set a goal for myself to make it there, just because it was where everyone else wanted to be.  I had no idea how important that department and the people in it really were.  So initially, what Human Resources meant to me was achieving a goal that would confirm that I was awesome and everyone else sucked.

What Human Resources means to me today is jobs, employee retention, economic stability, healthcare and so much more.  If I can be dramatically whimsical I’d venture to say, that Human Resources means dreams realized, a new home, a business growing and profiting.  So again, Human Resources is the nerve center and the backbone of any successful business.  Two words:  WE ROCK!!!

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This post was written by Keeya Majors.

Keeya was born, raised, and currently resides in Richmond, VA.  Her work experience has been an eclectic mash up between HR/Payroll and Banking.  At one point she was known as the “banking merger queen”.  She was with Crestar Bank when they merged with Suntrust; NationsBank when they merged with Bank of America; First Union when they merged with Wachovia; and Bank of Richmond when they merged with Gateway.  Keeya is currently a Payroll Specialist with The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, or as she likes to call it “The Banks’ Bank.”

She has worked in every aspect of Human Resources and Payroll.   From recruiting and staffing to time reporting to benefits.  She’s had a hand in each role and loved every minute of it.  Her most challenging, taxing, and rewarding role, however, is being a mother to three beautiful children.