The Birth of Relational Resource Departments (RRDs)

Helping to shape a more place based and holistic context for how we work together as humans, along with the rest of our community of beings in the ecology we're a part of.

Human Resource Departments (HRDs) have long been the unsung heroes of organizations, managing the intricate web of employee relations, benefits, and policies. They are the behind-the-scenes wizards who ensure companies thrive through their human capital. However, what is largely absent in modern business structures and systems is a dedicated support system for the external, and internal health of the literal ecosystems and environments organizations are embedded in. This relational capital needs attention and care, too. Through creating such conditions, humans, and the multi-species ecological communities they are a part of can be better illuminated, valued, represented, respected appreciated, and enabled. 

This is where Relational Resource Departments (RRDs) come in.

Imagine a workplace where nurturing our relationship with the rest of nature is as important as meeting quarterly targets, where ecological and bioregional awareness and the context of which seasons and cycles we are in is ingrained in every decision.

Where there are people and a space within your organization that resources relationships in service to your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs, both on a personal level, and for the collective. Services and care that extends to all the beings in the surrounding environment as well. It's a vision that goes beyond the traditional Human Resources approach, one where  RRDs dance alongside HRDs in shaping the future of work.

HRDs excel in managing the human aspects of organizations, from hiring to payroll. They're instrumental in creating a positive workplace culture. Now, imagine them collaborating with RRDs, whose primary focus is instituting, nurturing, illuminating, and reminding us of how we are always and in all ways involved in dynamic relationships with the rest of this living world and the rest of nature. This department and its team members help support bringing holistic, embodied practices into the flow of our work and culture, taking on the important role of being a dedicated point person to these dynamic relationships with place and the seasons and cycles of space as well.

What might this look like on the day to day? This will be different depending on where your organization is located, what bioregion it is a part of, what hemisphere it is in. There will be a series of mutually consistent support and care elements throughout, though there will also not be one ‘right way’ to have a RRD operate for all organizations. Context is crucial.

There will be some universal relational resource support systems that will be integrated in a caring way. For instance, imagine this department supporting guidance and awareness for an organization around honoring and respecting the rhythms of women’s monthly menstrual cycles. Doing this will eventually provide better context for everyone to be able to appreciate that their colleagues with these reproductive organs and the physical, chemical, emotional brief transformations they experience deserve to be respected, appreciated, and embraced as a caring and relational part of our shared processes.

This is something that is largely absent in modern life in general throughout most cultures and is a crucial basic way RRDs can be of service. We at IRB wish to rectify the denial of this very real natural process that is experienced by essentially half of all humanity. With RRDs support, everyone can better navigate this dynamic truth of working together and each individual who is moving through this monthly cycle can feel better supported and less obligated to try and perform or show up in the same way during these temporary shifts in the natural rhythms of their bodies.

In addition to this, an exciting element of what RRDs can provide is a better sense of belonging. A belonging that supports and nourishes wellness for individuals, the organizations they are a part of, and the surrounding ecological community as well.

One way this is achieved is through intentionally encouraging and providing space for daily engagement with the rest of nature, like a 20-30 minute encouraged break where you detach from electronics and just sit in a natural environment. This has tremendous personal and relational benefits by bringing awareness to the ever-changing living systems and beings we’re sharing spaces and places with.

Other simple, often subtle, yet impactful processes RRDs will help integrate will be tracking the cycles of the Moon, the seasons, and where welcomed and appropriate, the transitions and relationships taking place in the greater cosmic realm. Through all of this and more, RRDs will help to provide simple, accessible invitations for ritual and ceremony that can add a richness and enhanced quality to work environments.

A question might be rising in your mind, should our organization consider integrating an RRD or a Relational Resources Manager (RRM)? Well, chances are the answer might be yes, if you recognize and appreciate that our world, that is, the human centered, business-as-usual version of our world is extremely detrimental to all living systems of this planet, and to our fellow human communities as well.

Our shared global ecosystem faces unprecedented challenges, and the disconnect between most humans of modernity and the rest of nature has never been more apparent. There is a need for human/nature rehabilitation in this regard. That many humans even consider ourselves separate from nature is at the very roots of this greater challenge. From the context of what most organizations are currently embedded in, which rarely fosters and nurtures a fluid space for authentic relationships and holistic care for all, RRDs can offer fresh, dynamic opportunities for this to be possible.

Local governments could be better able to prioritize biodiversity as an imperative part of their processes and decisions. Educational institutions could create a fertile soil for students to come in and appreciate that their learning community emphasizes ecological reverence and care from the ground up. And traditional businesses would be able to not only declare they are willing to bring more care into their structures, but also will be better resourced at all levels so more caring and respectful relationships are fostered all along the way.

The Institute of Relational Being (IRB) is excited to introduce RRDs and RRMs to organizations worldwide. These roles and offerings are informed by the fundamentals of our living world systems and are embedded in IRB’s core principles. This will be one of the many ways in which we dedicate our focus and energy towards infusing organizations with a holistic, relational ethos. From the inside, working outwards.

Imagine an RRD that crafts employee experiences centered around nature integration, boosting well-being and morale, and on a more fundamental level, helping to shift behavior, perspective and culture towards a more ecological way of living, working, and being. Envision cities where RRDs work alongside urban planners to help incorporate green spaces and wildlife habitats in a more relational context that appreciates the individual and collective agency of the Trees, Plants, Insects, Animals, Waterways, Soil, Fungal Networks, and Rocks that make up these spaces we are helping to care for. Educational institutions that partner with RRDs can develop curricula that foster ecological awareness and bioregional identity, but not just in the classroom, also in their own operational structures, helping the administration teams, educators, and all involved navigate from this relational context.

At this early stage of developing the RRD framework and roles involved, we invite company and organization owners, educational institutes, and forward-thinking teams to be early adopters and co-creators and collaborators in how this all takes shape. If you are reading this and wish to be a part of this early stage of development, please connect with IRB and help shape the future of your workplace, culture, and environment.

RRDs can be a beacon of change in a world that's seeking deeper connections with the rest of nature, while helping to provide a more holistic sense of belonging for your organization and fellow co-workers. Together, along with the multispecies communities involved, we can co-create workplaces where humans are engaged co-collaborators within the living ecosystem they are a part of. Where ecological responsibility and an ethics of care isn't an afterthought, but an integral part of your organization's culture.

We at IRB welcome you to embrace this practical, subtle, yet powerful shift in your organizational structure. Helping to transform the straight and rigid edges and boundaries of your organization so that the wiggly ecotones and more organic flow can come through. This will expand your imaginations and open new doors of possibility, all while helping to rediscover (and remember) your place as part of this living world. If you’re up for it, together we can be of service to shifting our dominant cultural paradigms and storylines towards a world worth cherishing. The Institute of Relational Being is excited to be embarking on this journey with you, thank you for your interest in becoming a part of this process with us.