HR digitization accelerated by Corona

The Corona pandemic has permanently changed the world of work and caused a digitalization push in many places - especially in the HR sector. This is shown in the study "Digitales Arbeiten 2030" (Digital Work 2030) by F.A.Z. Business Media | research and Cornerstone, for which a total of 238 executives were surveyed. In addition, Dr. Thomas Ogilvie (Chief Human Resources Officer and Labor Director at Deutsche Post DHL Group) and Ulrike Baumgartner-Foisner (Senior Vice President Group Organizational Development & HR, Wienerberger Group) also speak in the publication in an interview about their experiences with HR digitization and how their companies are dealing with Covid-19.

Home office will stay

While home office was the exception rather than the rule in the companies surveyed before the pandemic, things will look different in the future: Only 3 percent of the companies surveyed will bring all employees back to the office permanently. The majority (53 percent) are relying on hybrid working - i.e., alternating between office and home office days - in which employees will work predominantly in the office and only occasionally at a different location.

Corona accelerates the pace of HR digitization

To ensure that working from the home office runs smoothly, many companies have been working flat out on digital transformation in recent months. The pace of digitization in HR has also picked up considerably: almost three-quarters of the executives surveyed (73 percent) say that the Corona pandemic has provided a digitization boost in their own HR department.

Administrative service provider was yesterday

From the point of view of the HR and corporate decision-makers surveyed, the time of HR as a purely administrative service provider is definitely over. Administrative HR tasks can be completed more quickly thanks to new technologies. This enables HR professionals to devote more time to strategic and advisory tasks. The HR departments of 46 percent of respondents are strategic partners. In 45 percent of the companies surveyed, HR is also taking on the roles of advisor and crisis manager in the pandemic. This is hardly surprising, since HR is located directly at the interface with employees. This means that HR staff - in addition to their direct superiors - are the first point of contact for questions relating to the organization of work, which is subject to constant change, especially during the pandemic.

Mastering cultural challenges

Nevertheless, digitization alone is no guarantee of success. Companies and their HR departments are now faced with the challenge of adapting the management and corporate culture to the new circumstances so that smooth operations are also ensured within the framework of a hybrid working model. For 71 percent of the decision-makers surveyed, the biggest challenge for HR is therefore to bring employees along with them in the change process. 61 percent also consider it very challenging to establish a new mindset and accompany the change in corporate culture.

Interested parties can download the study here download free of charge.