Human Resources - vocabulary

affirmative Indicating agreement, or a positive approach.

ambitious Having a strong desire for success or achievement.
anti-discrimination legislation Legal measures taken to protect minority and disadvantaged
people against prejudice and discrimination in the workplace.
appraisal An evaluation or (updated) assessment process offered to employees, often carried
out on an annual asis and leading to training opportunities, promotion, etc.
assertive Having a positive and insistent approach to interpersonal relationships.
assessment !he process of judging the worth or value of something or someody.
benefits An allowance (usually financial) to which a person is entitled. !hese could e
sickness or unemployment enefits, or a financial incentive as part of a salary offer.
blue-collar "elating to manual industrial workers (cf. white#collar).
bonus $omething given or paid aove what is e%pected.
brainstorming Intensive and spontaneous discussion process to generate ideas.
buzzword a currently fashionale word, typically used within a particular group, which has
popularity for a limited time.
collective bargaining &egotiation etween unions and employers (or employer
organisations) on incomes and working conditions of employees.
compensation 'ayment made as reparation for loss or injury.
compromise, to !o settle a dispute y making concessions.
compulsory (ligatory, re)uired y laws, regulations or policies (cf. voluntary).
concede, to !o admit or agree that something is true or correct.
core jobs !he essential tasks that make up the fundamental part of an enterprise.
CV (curriculum vitae) An outline of a person*s education and professional history, usually
prepared for a jo application (also resum).
deadloc! A situation reached (eg. In a negotiation) etween two opposing parties where no
further action is possile.
delegate, to !o pass on given tasks or duties to someone else.
dispute An argument or disagreement.
downsizing "educing the workforce, usually to cut costs.
e"pertise $pecial skill, knowledge or judgement.
fle"itime A system permitting fle%ile working hours.
glass ceiling !he sutle and unacknowledged arrier which may e perceived as preventing
women from rising to the top in some organisations.
golden #ands#a!e A compensation package for an e%ecutive leaving a company.
golden #ello A large sum of money offered to an e%ecutive to join a company.
#ard-#eaded !ough, realistic or shrewd.
#arassment 'ersistent annoying or insulting ehaviour, often inflicted on a less powerful
individual or group (eg+ se"ual #arassment, racial #arassment, etc.).
#ead#unter $pecialist recruitment consultants who try to persuade e%ecutives to leave their
present jo to join another company.
Human Resources (HR) 'referred alternative term for personnel in a company.
incentive A payment made to motivate or increase performance.
industrial relations "elations etween management and workers* representatives.
$nowledge %anagement ($%) !he management of organisational processes that comines
the control and implementation of data, the information processing capacity of I!, and the
creative and innovative capacity of human eings.
lean management "educing costs within an organisation to the minimum , often used as a
euphemism for the process of cutting staff. (lean - slim, with the .fat removed*).
loyalty !he state of showing continued faith in, or support for, someone or something.
lump sum A large payment made in one single instalment.
maternity leave A period of paid asence from work for women, for an agreed period efore
and after the irth of a child. (cf. paternity leave).
negotiate, to !o work through a process to find an agreement or common ground.
networ!ing /orming usiness contacts through informal, social meetings and events.
outstanding $uperior, e%cellent or distinguished.
overtime 0ork recognised as done in addition to the regular hours of employment.
overloo!, to !o fail to notice something1 to delierately disregard something.
oversee, to !o watch over or supervise.
paternity leave A period of paid asence from work granted to men who choose to look after
their children at home in order that their partners can go out to work.
peer group !hose people who are considered to e on the same level (either in age, social or
professional status, position in a company, etc.). Also peer pressure, peer recognition.
pension A regular payment made y an employer to a retired employee, or y the state or
other organisations to people after retirement or injury.
performance payment An incentive onus, in addition to the asic salary, calculated on the
performance of the employee.
per!s A term used to descrie non#cash enefits offered to employees.
personal "elating to the private aspects of a person*s life.
personnel !he people working for an organisation1 the human resources.
persuade, to !o successfully influence someody to do something.
poac#, to !o steal, to take something from someody else y stealth. (cf. headhunters).
positive discrimination !he provision of special opportunities in employment, training, etc.
for groups perceived as disadvantaged (women, disaled people, ethnic minorities, etc.).
probationary period An initial test period when something (or someody) is introduced.
rate A price or charge made with reference to a standard or scale. /or lue#collar staff, this is
often a rate of pay which is an hourly rate.
rationalisation !o reduce unnecessary e)uipment, personnel or processes.
recruitment !he process of finding new staff and ringing them into an organisation.
re-engineering !he re#designing of a product or process to make it more efficient. In H"
management this term is often used as a euphemism for reducing staff.
relocate, to !o move to a new place.
reputation A high opinion held aout someone or something.
self-esteem A favourale opinion of oneself.
s#op steward $omeone elected y workers to e their trade union representative.
s#ort-list A list of suitale applicants for a jo, selected for interview.
s!ills $pecial ailities, often ac)uired y training.
trade union An organisation that represents workers* rights.
trustwort#y Honest and reliale, considered someone to e trusted.
undermine, to !o gradually and delierately weaken someone*s position.
union resistance "esistance y trade unions to management practices.
vacancy a jo, or employment opportunity, usually offered (internally or e%ternally) in the form
of a jo advertisement.
versatile 2apale of adapting (or eing adapted) for many different uses.
voluntary 3one y free choice, without eing oliged or forced (cf. compulsory).
w#ite-collar "elating to salaried, non#manual workers (cf. lue#collar).
w#izz !id A person who is pushy and energetic and successful for his4her age.
willing /avouraly disposed to do something1 compliant and co#operative.
wor!force !he total numer of people employed y an organisation.