Forward-thinking companies around the world are experimenting with new models of productivity and collaboration and are putting more stock than ever in company culture and employee engagement. HR is finally getting the update it needs, and this transformation is great news for people and culture pros in every industry.
Check out these inspiring quotes from HR experts and get excited about the future of work.
30 HR quotes to inspire people and culture pros
“A machine is a resource; a human is not a resource. A human is a human and, as part of their life, a human being is going to work so it’s about asking how you make that experience enjoyable.”
– Laurent Sylvestre, General Manager of People and Culture, Beca
“It’s about getting the best people, retaining them, nurturing a creative environment and helping to find a way to innovate.”
– Marissa Mayer, CEO, Yahoo
“Your brand is your culture.”
– Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos
“Make sure everybody in the company has great opportunities, has a meaningful impact and are contributing to the good of society.”
– Larry Page, Co-Founder, Google
“It is crucial to recognize, reward, and celebrate accomplishments.”
– Rosabeth Kanter, Professor, Harvard Business School
“Talent is the multiplier. The more energy and attention you invest in it, the greater the yield.”
– Marcus Buckingham, Author
“Purpose must be deliberately conceived and chosen, and then pursued.”
– Clay Christensen, Professor, Harvard Business School
“Culture is simply a shared way of doing something with a passion.”
– Brian Chesky, Co-Founder, CEO, Airbnb
“Being a great place to work is the difference between being a good company and a great company.”
– Brian Kristofek, President and CEO, Upshot2
“We believe that it’s really important to come up with core values that you can commit to. And by commit, we mean that you’re willing to hire and fire based on them. If you’re willing to do that, then you’re well on your way to building a company culture that is in line with the brand you want to build.”
– Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos
“Determine what behaviors and beliefs you value as a company, and have everyone live true to them. These behaviors and beliefs should be so essential to your core, that you don’t even think of it as culture.”
– Brittany Forsyth, VP of Human Relations, Shopify
“I’m a large believer in hiring the right people and giving them unbelievable amounts of power and autonomy.”
– Blake Mycoskie, Founder, TOMS Shoes
“I used to believe that culture was ‘soft,’ and had little bearing on our bottom line. What I believe today is that our culture has everything to do with our bottom line, now and into the future.”
– Vern Dosch, author, Wired Differently
“Over the years we learned that if we asked people to rely on logic and common sense instead of on formal policies, most of the time we would get better results, and at lower cost.”
– Patty McCord, Chief Talent Officer, Netflix
“In this ever-changing society, the most powerful and enduring brands are built from the heart. They are real and sustainable. Their foundations are stronger because they are built with the strength of the human spirit, not an ad campaign. The companies that are lasting are those that are authentic.”
– Howard Schultz, CEO, Starbucks
“If you want employees to feel appreciated, you need to celebrate their achievements regularly and publicly.”
– Logan Green, Co-Founder, Lyft
“The way I think about culture is that modern humans have radically changed the way that they work and the way that they live. Companies need to change the way they manage and lead to match the way that modern humans actually work and live.”
– Brian Halligan, CEO, Hubspot
“No company, small or large, can win over the long run without energized employees who believe in the mission and understand how to achieve it.”
– Jack Welch, author former CEO, General Electric
“If you are lucky enough to be someone’s employer, then you have a moral obligation to make sure people do look forward to coming to work in the morning.”
– John Mackey, co-CEO, Whole Foods Market
“To win in the marketplace you must first win in the workplace.”
– Doug Conant, CEO, Campbell’s Soup
“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.”
– Simon Sinek, author, Start With Why
“The simple act of paying positive attention to people has a great deal to do with productivity.”
– Tom Peters, author
“When a company is scaling at such a fast pace, where the culture is constantly evolving, you have to figure out how to constantly nudge it gently in the best direction: encourage the right behaviours, make the undesired behaviours difficult.”
– Daniel Weinand, Chief Culture Officer, Shopify
“It is our shared behaviors, passion for our mission, and treating each other like family that makes us more of a movement than a company. We believe that in order to create a world where you can belong anywhere, it starts here, with creating a place where all of our employees belong.”
– Mark Levy, Airbnb
“[Company culture is] the continuous pursuit of building the best, most talented, and happiest team we possibly can.”
– Andrew Wilkinson, Founder, MetaLab
“The problem with a lot of companies is that HR comes second to their bottom line.”
– Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO, Vayner Media
“If you hire people just because they can do a job, they’ll work for your money. But if you hire people who believe what you believe, they’ll work for you with blood, sweat, and tears.”
– Simon Sinek, author, Start With Why
“The best managers figure out how to get great outcomes by setting the appropriate context, rather than by trying to control their people.”
– Reed Hastings, CEO, Netflix
“A hallmark of a healthy creative culture is that its people feel free to share ideas, opinions, and criticisms. Lack of candor, if unchecked, ultimately leads to dysfunctional environments.”
– Ed Catmull, President, Pixar
“Bring your whole self to work. I don’t believe we have a professional self Monday through Friday and a real self the rest of the time. It is all professional and it is all personal.”
– Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Facebook
