Agile HR

Definition

Applying agile methodology principles (flexibility, iteration, rapid feedback) to HR processes and strategies. It's HR pretending to be tech-savvy.

Example Usage

Our agile HR approach meant we changed our hiring process four times in six months, confusing everyone.

Origin

Emerged in the 2010s-2020s as agile spread beyond software development.

Fun Fact

True agile HR requires different thinking; many companies just slap 'agile' on existing processes.

Source: Contemporary HR Innovation

Related Terms

Beginner

Compensation

The money and benefits you receive in exchange for your labor, sanity, and ever-growing collection of meetings that could have been emails. The word itself comes from Latin, meaning "to weigh together," which is ironic because the scale never tips in your favor.

👥 Human Resources

Intermediate

Counter-offer

The panicked attempt by a company to keep an employee from leaving by suddenly remembering they're worth something after they've accepted another job.

👥 Human Resources

Intermediate

Mentorship Program

An initiative where senior employees 'mentor' junior ones, which works beautifully until everyone gets too busy and the program becomes a checkbox on someone's objectives.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

living wage

The minimum income needed to meet basic needs in a given location, which is invariably higher than minimum wage and what entry-level positions actually pay. It's aspirational economics that HR mentions in diversity reports but rarely implements.

👥 Human Resources

Advanced

lump sum merit increase

A one-time merit payment instead of a permanent salary increase, keeping base pay lower while rewarding performance. A bonus disguised as a raise, benefiting only the employer's future budget.

👥 Human Resources

Advanced

Deferred Compensation

Compensation arrangements where employees forgo current earnings in exchange for higher payments in the future, often including stock options, RSUs, or non-qualified deferred compensation plans. It's basically a promise: 'we'll pay you later... probably.'

👥 Human Resources

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