human capital

noun

: the skills, knowledge, and qualifications of a person, group, or workforce considered as economic assets

Nothing is more important to a company, nation, or individual than intelligence. It is the fundamental key to problem-solving and wealth creation, and underpins the human capital that drives every company and nation forward.

—Peter H. Diamandis

In fact, the evidence suggests that public investments in human capital, including higher education, yield long-term economic rates of return that far exceed most standard investments in technology or capital.

—Edward L. Glaeser

All of this coincided with the emergence in academe of the idea of "human capital": the notion that the more skilled the work force, the more productive it tends to be.

—Denis P. Doyle et al.

Examples of human capital in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Beyond human capital, the United States needs to spark a housing construction boom by drastically reducing environmental regulations and to eliminate subsidies for builders, letting the market work. —Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2024

Funding stressors In communities welcoming an unexpected increase of newcomer students, however, the challenge often boils down to human capital. —Jackie Valley, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Apr. 2024

In what seem to be the first-ever moves of their kind, DiNapoli’s New York State Common Retirement Fund, which manages $260 billion in assets, is pushing for more details about companies’ human capital management strategy work related to LGBTQ+ employees. —Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024

Human resources need to be in the thick of it, understand the business, the product, and all the services, offerings, and components, and then utilize that knowledge in managing the company’s human capital. —William Mullane, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024

These findings emphasize the evolving recognition of human capital as both a potential vulnerability and a vital asset in cybersecurity—if trained effectively—while also showcasing the need for more agile response mechanisms. —Sivan Tehila, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

That is something that Deliveroo, which relies on a fleet of casual human capital, is extremely resistant to accept, despite being pushed hard by the EU. —Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 14 Mar. 2024

The ability of business functions to leverage this human capital and to share it cross-functionally is a valuable decision making and problem-solving tool. —Mark A. Cohen, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024

At its core, Georgism would have promoted the mobility of human capital so essential to progress. —John Tamny, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above