"The task of HR in a world dominated by digitalisation can be seen as: looking behind the process i.e. supporting the initiatives and helping people adjust; driving from the front i.e. the need to help employees understand the importance thereof and giving them the energy to embrace a new technological future; observing from above where HR needs to look "from the balcony" to advise and to guide the organisation in its digitalisation efforts; grounding from below where HR should build on the values of the company to help it embrace new ideas; and finally walking beside where the role of HR is to assist, console and help where it become difficult.

Professor Drikus Kriek, Wits Business School, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa and IEDC-Bled School of Management, Slovenia

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I believe that, in the future, we will see closer collaboration between computers, robots and employees. Hence, several new competencies will be required. Employees with strong project management skills, programming and robotic engineering will be in great demand as they are the interface between artificial intelligence (AI) and human intelligence. What we can see today is robots with AI - this means they can act as team members and they are taking over customer-facing activities. The first robots with AI can be found in call centres, hotels in Asia are replacing receptions and the whole front desk with computers. There are also cases in sales and after-sale activities in the telecommunications industry. We can also find them in the insurance industry in the claims area, etc. As you can see, it will be essential to understand, cooperate and co-create with AI in the future."

Melanie Seier Larsen, Boston Consulting Group, Slovenia

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Digital business models are one of the major change management projects influencing a company's DNA and employees and therefore the HR function needs to be aware of the required changes within the organisation and to drive, in conjunction with other executives, the new skill set definitions, mindset and required personal development of employees to achieve a company's sustainable success."

Gregor Bierent, New Frontier Group, Austria