Editorial

Citation

Bajer, J. (2017), "Editorial", Strategic HR Review, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 53-54. https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-02-2017-0013

Welcome to our latest issue of Strategic HR Review!

It surprises me that businesses around the world are behaving so differently when it comes to Digital Transformation. Some have a “wait and see” attitude, most see it as the case to automate what they already do and a few courageous ones are using it as an opportunity to transform the future of their businesses. Which conversation is your organisation having around Digital Transformation today?

1. Just wait, digital transformation is coming

There is nothing to do but wait – it will come when the time is right. It is always better than others go first, so we can learn from their mistakes. We are so busy operating in today’s world that we don’t have the time, energy or resources to worry about it. Digital Transformation will come to us and it will be a normal progression for everyone.

2. Digitalise how we work today

Whatever we already do, we can do it better with technology. Just put it online, give them access to it, allow them to search it. We can keep a record to influence our performance management systems. This way is faster, better and cheaper.

3. Transform how we will work (and live) tomorrow

How are we making our key decisions? Is this the best thing we can do for our customers? Do we really need to continue doing things the same way? If everything was possible, what would great look like? Let’s then build digital solutions to help us transform the value that we bring to the market.

In this issue we are sharing quite a variety of approaches on Digital Transformation, to inspire your HR strategy so you can drive significant value to your organisation.

In “HR Digital Disruption: The Biggest Wave of Transformation in Decades”, James Larkin looks at the changes HR managers can expect in the digital age, with a focus on three distinct areas – changes within the office, changes at the employee/manager level and changes to the organisation at large.

In “HR’s New Role: Rethinking and Enabling Digital Engagement”, Ravin Jesuthasan explores how digital technologies have changed how workers connect with their co-workers and the organisation, and how that is changing how work gets done.

In “HR’s Guide to the Digital Transformation: ten Digital Economy Use Cases for Transforming Human Resources in Manufacturing”, Pradeep Amladi highlights new ways companies are managing their human resources in light of changing technology, mobile workforces and “The Internet of Things”.

In “Providing a Better Digital Experience for Employees”, Mike Raia looks at user interface/user experience – or UI/UX – and its role in the employee experience as new digital technologies are implemented in the workplace.

And in “From Analytics to Action: How Shell Digitized Recruitment”, Sue Lam and Ben Hawkes offer a case study detailing how global oil company Shell enabled technological change in its graduate hiring assessments to add long-term value to the company.

Of course my suggestion is that you drive a Digital Transformation conversation in your organisation to explore how digital can help us redesign human work, allowing people to truly engage with what they do, while delivering a whole new generation of business value (see my piece on “human touch” inside this issue). I believe this is an opportunity we should not miss.

Let’s continue this conversation on #SHRdt

Warm regards,

Dr Javier Bajer

Editor-in-Chief

Strategic HR Review