Human Resources Quotes For All Occasions

Posted by Trakstar • July 18, 2022 (Last modified May 24, 2023) • 6 min read

If you are looking for uplifting, motivational, funny, or inspirational human resources quotes, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve been gathering a list of quotes about human resources to share with you for the moments you need them.

The best HR quotes come from other people leaders and those who work directly with their workforces. If you are lacking inspiration in your day-to-day career and need some human resources quotes to keep going, keep reading through our list. If you think famous HR quotes aren’t enough and you need more help, consider scheduling a demo of the Trakstar platform today. We’ll help you streamline your talent development process and attract, retain, and engage your employees.

Funny Quotes on Human Resource Management

Here’s a list of some of our favorite funny human resources quotes:

  •  “In most cases, being a good boss means hiring talented people and then getting out of their way.” – Tina Fey 
  • “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.” – Red Adair
  • “Don’t hire anyone you wouldn’t want to run into in the hallway at three in the morning.”  – Tina Fey
  • “Oh, you hate your job? Why didn’t you say so? There’s a support group for that. It’s called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.” – Drew Carey
  • “There’s an enormous number of managers who have retired on the job.” – Peter Drucker
  • “Do not underestimate your abilities. That is your boss’s job.” – Francis Young
  • “I will always choose a lazy person to do a hard job, because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.” – Bill Gates
  • “I’m HR. To save time let’s just assume I’m never wrong.” – unknown
  • “Nothing surprises me. I work in HR.” – unknown 

Trying to fund a funny human resources quote isn’t hard to do at all, but it can be difficult to find some that are work appropriate. Those are just a few of our favorites.

Human Resources quotes

HR Quotes from The Office

Some of the best quotes for HR come from one of our favorite shows, The Office. Whether you love the British or American version, you have to admit that some of the best quotes for human resources come from the show.

  • “The people that you work with are, when you get down to it, your very best friends.” – Michael Scott
  • “The most sacred thing I do is care and provide for my workers.” – Michael Scott
  • “I knew exactly what to do. but, in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do.” – Michael Scott
  • “If there were somewhere else that valued loyalty more highly, I’m going wherever they value loyalty the most.” – Dwight Shrute
  • “Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, ‘Would an idiot do that?’ And if they would, I do not do that thing.” — Dwight Schrute
  • “I am about to do something very bold in this job that I’ve never done before. Try.” — Jim Halpert
  • “I do deserve a vacation. Sometimes Batman’s gotta take off his cape.” — Kevin Malone

This is just a sampling of the quotes about work from The Office – there are plenty of others. We could do a post just on that!

Human Resources quotes

HR Motivational Quotes For Employees & Leaders

The best HR motivational quotes come from people who have been employees at companies of all sizes and industries. They fit with almost any situation you may find yourself in and give you the push you need to make it through a bad day, week, or quarter.

  • “Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” —Sir Richard Branson
  • “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” – Michael Jordan
  • “Without the right succession planning put to play in human resources, we build for the future without a future.” – Mmanti Umoh
  • “If you want creative workers, give them enough time to play.”  – John Cleese
  • “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” – Henry Ford
  • “I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. At the end of the day, you bet on people, not on strategies.” —Lawrence Bossidy
  • “Human Resources isn’t a thing we do. It’s the thing that runs our business.” —Steve Wynn
  • “In order to build a rewarding employee experience, you need to understand what matters most to your people.” – Julie Bevacqua 
  • “You cannot push anyone up the ladder unless they are willing to climb.” – Andrew Carnegie 
  • “Recently, I was asked if I was going to fire an employee who made a mistake that cost the company $600,000. No, I replied, I just spent $600,000 training him. Why would I want to fire somebody with his experience?” —Thomas John Watson Sr.
  • “When people go to work, they shouldn’t have to leave their hearts at home.” —Betty Bender
  • “When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” —Simon Sinek
  • Hire character. Train skill.” —Peter Schutz
  • “The more seriously you take your growth, the more seriously your people will take you.” – John Maxwell 
  • “The value of a business is a function of how well the financial capital and intellectual capital are managed by human capital. You’d better get the human capital part right.” – Dave Bookbinder
  • “Human resources are like natural resources; they’re often buried deep. You have to go looking for them; they’re not just lying around on the surface.” – Ken Robinson
  •  “Be Sincere; be brief, be seated” – Franklin D. Roosevelt 
  • “A person who feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected.” – Unknown
  • “Your ability to communicate is an important tool in the pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your family, your co-workers or your clients and customers.” – Lee Brown
  • “Employees engage with employers and brands when they’re treated as humans.” – Meghan Biro

What’s your favorite way to use Human Resources quotes? We love to see them in emails, on social media, as random bits of motivation for employees, and as art!

Human Resources quotes

Schedule a Demo of the Trakstar Platform Today

Sometimes, it takes more than famous quotes about human resource management to make your day better. Sometimes, you need help to get your job done and do your best. The best human resources quotes don’t cover just how difficult your job can be – but we know it.

To learn more about the Trakstar platform and how it can help you with the talent management process, be sure to schedule a demo with our team today.

Human Resources quotes

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