Truly Human Resources

Note: According to the American Institute of Stress, work-related agitation is the major source of stress for American adults (although it is certainly not a uniquely American problem). In addition to common stressors like coworker issues and workload, many of us struggle with the stress of having to fulfill a less-than-satisfying work role in order to live more or less check-to-check. We sometimes feel like we lose our identities, our spirituality, and our dreams in order to serve the mundane reality that work promotes. It is the author’s hope that this message helps the stressed worker find spiritual peace and the energy to pursue a more fulfilling future. Please share this meditation with anyone you know who is fatigued from the workplace or struggling professionally.

"AN INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE FOR THE WORKDAY"

What does the term human resources mean anyway? Does it mean that we are simply materials (i.e., resources) meant to be mined for profit by large organizations? Absolutely not. Instead, it means that you have uniquely human gifts to offer those around you on any given workday.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13 NIV

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 ESV

Has the term human resources ever struck you as a bit insulting? Those words seem to imply that people are nothing more than material meant to be mined for profit by corporations, and such an implication is disheartening. If we are nothing more than tools used to build money pyramids for the rich, then how is it possible to feel good about the work we do?

When you first trained for your professional life—whether that training was in high school, at a technical college, or at a university—you probably had one or two specific focuses. However, when you got knee-deep in the daily grind of the real world, you probably discovered that companies will use workers as they please. Job titles quickly become flexible frameworks as new needs arise at a company, and all tasks are fair game no matter what a person insists his or her “specialty” is.

So, if we are all generalists serving the profit-driven whims of employers, how can we still have a meaningful professional life? The answer to that question resides in helping other people. Despite any troubling corporate picture that we may be a part of, we can still have a worthwhile, individual professional life by helping other people. Helping others is how we are able to avoid feeling one dimensional and empty at even the most discouraging of jobs, and nurturing a human connection at work is the simplest solution to any quandary involving our fears of becoming nothing more than corporate resources.

Here is an alternative way to look at the term human resources as it applies to your role in the workplace. You possess unique resources that are truly human. You possess gifts of empathy, laughter, guidance, and perspective that you can offer to those around you each day. Most everyone goes into the workday fighting through personal problems they don’t talk much about, so try to remember those silent, shared struggles, and let that resulting perspective be a true resource for the people around you.

We each have unique talents that are meant for something much more meaningful than simply helping a company’s bottom line. When we resolve to find a way—no matter how small—to help other people in the course of our workdays, then we are able to take possession of our talents and truly feel alive. Today, make it your mission to find creative ways to offer your truly human resources to the people you encounter.

Prayer: Dear God, I know that You have given me wonderful gifts that can be used for much more than simply making money. Please allow me to use those unique parts of me to make the world a better place for people each day.