Welcome! If you’re here, chances are good you’re already walking the HR walk, which is why we’ve created an HR glossary: to help you talk (and write) the talk as well.

From the technical to the everyday, from Applicant Tracking System to Work/Life Balance (we haven’t found any Z words yet), we made a list of the most common HR terms and buzzwords, then focused on defining them in plain, easy-to-understand language. So, whether you’re a seasoned HR professional, a brand-new HR specialist, or just researching the human resources industry and looking for the words you need to know, you’ll find them here.

Our hope is that this glossary will be a resource for you in multiple aspects of your work. Whether you’re deciphering an email from the executive team, gaining a better understanding of an article (maybe one of ours) on HR responsibilities and key initiatives, or looking and sounding like a boss as you pitch a new training and development program, we’re here to help.