Human Resources is an important department present in many large companies and is greatly needed for functions such as: hiring, firing, insurance and public relations. While in the past, human resources has been able to operate with little friction from outside influences, it appears that over the years, new challenges for this department have complicated their fairly standard operations. These challenges, although difficult to overcome, may not be enough to destroy the ability of human resource departments to operate, but the challenges faced by human resources due to technology, economic relationships and job descriptions are evolving at a much faster pace. than before. These ever-changing conditions in the business world create a lot of tension and challenges for human resource representatives, as they force them to find new ways of doing things at lower costs, which will be able to keep pace with the ever-increasing changes and demands. the economy. “Human resource management in the 21st century presents challenges not addressed by conventional thinking regarding recruitment, staffing and retention” (Walberg, 2011, Para.1). In recent years, employees have chosen a job and stayed there for the majority of their lives until the day they retire. An employee's entire life used to be spent in a single job, but in the 21st century, an individual can alternate between several different jobs during their lifetime. This factor adds to “increasing mobility and increased access to information, which further increases the new challenges that arise within HR operations. Each country faces different human resource challenges in the areas of “Ca...”. middle of paper...... Changes in the economy, technology and the world in general have made things much more complicated for HR departments today and will continue to create challenges and blockages for the future. It will take strategic planning and many adjustments to make things work for the best in the years to come. References Walberg, R. (2011). The race for qualified workers; Competition for the best employees is intensifying even as companies abandon old training methods. Accessed 02/21/2011 from http://www.financialpost.com/executive/smart-shift/race+skilled+workers/4104625/story.htmlSteckler, S. (2010). The leadership challenges facing HR: Top CHROs share their lessons and advice on what's next. People and Strategy: Special Issue: Leading in Uncertain Times, 33(4), 14-21. Retrieved February 21, 2011 from ABI/INFORM Global. (document ID: 2243713411).