hQ

HQ, short for headquarters, refers to the primary location of an organization’s organizational leadership and central administration. It is the place where strategic decisions are made, governance is exercised, and the organization’s core functions are coordinated. The term can denote either the building or the broader entity that represents the central command.

The word originated from the combination of head and quarters, signaling the main seat of command. In practice, an organization may operate a single corporate headquarters or maintain multiple regional or country headquarters that report to the central leadership. The HQ is distinct from individual field offices, subsidiaries, or satellite operations.

Functions typically located at the HQ include executive leadership, finance, human resources, legal, information technology, corporate communications, and strategy. It often hosts the boardroom and key decision-making forums, as well as centralized services such as procurement and risk management. Security and access control are common features of headquarters facilities.

Location and design considerations for an HQ include access to talent, transportation, telecommunications, regulatory and tax environments, and corporate image. Some organizations consolidate operations into a single headquarters in a major city, while others adopt dispersed or campus-style layouts to balance control with regional presence.

In government and military use, headquarters denotes the central command center from which plans are made and operations directed. The term is widely used in business, defense, diplomacy, and public administration to indicate the locus of leadership and control.