: The purpose of this essay is to provide a conceptual mapping of human resource management (HRM) functions in line with governance. The objectives of the review are to trace, determine and draw fresh insights from the literature on human resource management, particularly on the influence of Information Technology (IT), citizen governance, and advocacy-oriented human resources. This paper employs a literature review to draw new perspectives on HRM functions. It focuses on a thematic review of human resource components such as Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), governance models related to citizens-led and people-centered human resource management, and advocacy to return the “human” to HRM. This essay seeks to contribute to human resource literature through a conceptual mapping of HRM functions tracing the development of human resource functions with the following three components: Information technology (IT) in the process of upgrading HRM, accountability through citizen governance as an outcome of data-driven and efficient sharing of information from the human resource institutions, and advocacy-oriented human resources management by focusing on the human capital as a partner towards socio-economic and political development in the governance era of new public management.