The Evolving Role of HR in 2025: Leading Hybrid Work & Digital Transformation

The HR industry has seen a lot of change in the last few years. The use of artificial intelligence and the gig economy's expansion has changed the landscape. And most recently, the worldwide pandemic is changing the lives of millions of people while also redefining where and how work is done. 

The Human Resources (HR) team is more important than ever as the COVID-19 pandemic impacts organizations worldwide. When it comes to HR, their major focus is on helping companies break out of their traditional cocoon and embrace HR digital transformation. 

As a result, businesses are transforming at a rate not seen since the global financial crisis of 2008. During the pandemic, HR has been at the forefront of crisis management, risk management, and the redeployment of workers to remote working environments. 

Go here for leading HR support services and implement the best practices for your company. In this post, we'll look ahead to see which HR trends will continue to drive change and which new ones will emerge to influence the future hybrid workforce. 

Current role of HR 

It may be claimed that the roles of HR manager have evolved over the last 30 years, shifting from an administrative, personnel welfare, and discipline-focused job to one that has become more strategic, with a seat at the top table. HR leaders today have a strategic and board-level position that allows them to legitimately influence stakeholders while focusing on shareholder value and safeguarding shareholder return. 

However, in recent years, HR's increased focus on excelling strategically and operationally has resulted in their attention being focused on reducing human capital expenditures. The interaction between HR and key business stakeholders has significantly improved due to this transition. 

The development of procedures and bureaucracy layers has reduced HR's agility and quickness. However, the global upheaval brought about by the pandemic is now driving business transformation, allowing HR professionals to rethink what they do and how they do it. 

Putting the human back into human resources will have a big long-term influence on this opportunity. 

The changing role of HR 

The Coronavirus outbreak will likely have a long-term impact. Covid-19 has claimed the lives of thousands of people worldwide, posing unprecedented threats to public health, food systems, and global supply chains. 

Furthermore, the ongoing impact is wreaking havoc on the economy and the ability of businesses to operate. Businesses have had little choice but to adapt their business models to address mandatory shutdowns and social distancing. 

As a result, HR and business divisions have collaborated to deploy, embrace, and use technology, resulting in a more flexible and technology-centric organization. 

However, due to the automation and digitization of many business activities, including the successful use of HRM cloud-based tools to handle HR procedures, HR leaders now have more time to focus on the employee experience. 

Employee onboarding, offboarding, performance reviews, payroll audit, a notice of leave absence requests, and recruitment are just a few of the essential HR operations that are efficiently managed by automation and HR Management software. As a result, HR's involvement in these processes is reduced to a minimum. 

Of course, the upside is that Human Resources leaders can now spend more time with their employees while also managing more strategic initiatives aligned with their requirements. In other words, restoring the human aspect to Human Resources and providing the necessary capacity to think about people strategy. 

How is remote working changing the role of HR? 

The increasing acceptance of remote working will be one of Covid-19's lasting impacts on how people work and the changing role of HR. The widespread adoption of remote work, video conferencing, and telecommuting are unlikely to result in a return to pre-covid working practices in the near or long term. 

Long, wasteful video meetings will likely be replaced with greater clarity, context, and succinct delivery as HR and wider workforce teams adjust to efficiency in remote working. As the crisis continues, human resources quickly respond to the lessons acquired. 

Nearly half of Gartner poll respondents (47 percent) indicated they plan to allow staff to work remotely full-time in the future. However, flexible working hours and days will be the new normal for certain businesses. According to the poll, 43% of respondents plan to provide flexible days to their employees, while 42% plan to provide flexible hours. 

Furthermore, the survey result revealed that businesses must examine how they will continue to manage a remote workforce and how they will manage a more hybrid workforce, which includes people who work remotely, in offices, and part-time. 

The influence of cultural challenges on the role of HR 

HR has traditionally been in charge of managing and maintaining workplace culture, including how to promote an engaging environment. However, in the current Covid-19 environment, the influence of labor culture difficulties will continue to grow. 

Having a Human Resources leader has become more valuable as the worldwide pandemic has progressed. The organizations that have flourished in the face of uncertainty have done so by putting a strong emphasis on people, culture, and engagement. 

Embracing an agile work culture is now considered the most effective way to engage geographically distributed workforces and teams. Workforces with greater agility can adjust and respond to difficulties as they arise, which is far better than when work cultures are set in stone. 

Agile cultures also allow for more accurate productivity evaluation to keep employees engaged in their job regardless of their physical location. 

Human Resources now has to determine how to modify the culture if it hasn't worked well in the past. Or if the ongoing pandemic has impacted the culture, then how to bring the culture back on track. While it is impossible to change a company's culture overnight, it can be changed over time, and HR needs to facilitate this progressive development. 

In essence, culture is how things are done in any company. Every company's culture is distinct, and employees must participate in its evolution and the organization's willingness to devote time. 

The evolving role of HR in the future hybrid workforce 

HR directors must examine various elements when optimizing a hybrid workforce model, including structure, workflows, flexibility, adaptability, role design, and networks, to mention a few. 

HR leaders must keep the following issues in mind when shaping the hybrid model of working in the organization's favor: 

1. Make it a priority to develop an engaged staff 

Working remotely can cause a lot of worry and anxiety; navigating between home and work commitments and not meeting your coworkers can cause employees to feel demotivated. HR's job is to create an engaged staff and organize virtual team building, mental wellness, and fun activities. Understanding the interests and needs of employees should be a top priority. 

2. Use the digital technology of the 21st century 

According to the KPMG survey, 50% of HR leaders are unprepared to exploit the technologies available to them. With a growing emphasis on employee well-being, HR will require the appropriate technologies to improve the employee experience. AI, predictive analytics, IT, and machine learning developments in HR procedures are the way forward. 

3. Place a greater emphasis on performance that is measured by outcomes 

Shared ownership and decision-making flexibility can encourage remote workers to concentrate on the result. Employee performance should not be judged solely based on strict reporting but rather on the overall productivity and inventive thinking that a resource offers to the organization. 

4. Examine the organizational structure 

Juggling between layers to gain timely approvals is one of the most difficult aspects of remote employment. Rethinking the organizational structure and arranging direct reporting to make decision-making faster and more effective is in the hands of people and HR leaders. 

5. Hiring strategies & upskilling current employees 

In the hybrid approach, the type of labor, ability to absorb new technology advances, and unlearning capacity must all be considered when recruiting the workforce. In the COVID-19 era, the move from full-time workers to gig workers and consultants with flexible working hours is essential. HR leaders must also ensure that existing personnel are upskilled to maximize output. 

The modern model for the hybrid workforce for seamlessness 

Following is the modern model for the hybrid workforce that you need to adopt for a seamless work experience. 

1. Creating hybrid work models 

Transitioning from either working full-time in the office or at home to a hybrid model can be stressful for employees. It is, however, the best option to alleviate the struggles workers currently face. 

Work-at-home employees feel the loss of socialization and miss the camaraderie of working in person with a team. However, working full time in the office can be a strain with new, post-pandemic measures. A hybrid work model solves those issues, helping staffers with family obligations, improving work-life balance, and even increasing productivity. 

Creating a hybrid work model for your staff should be comparable to setting standard work hours. You cannot accommodate every single employee’s request. However, you can design a system that balances the best of both remote and in-office work modes. 

Corporate America is leading the way to overcome the obstacles of hybrid work plans: 

• Insurance giant Prudential has repurposed its office for more collaborative and open spaces. 
• General Motors asked for remote employee input before changing its workplace. 
• Food services and facility management company Sodexo is relying on conversations with and feedback from its employees to create their new work options. 

Every company can take a different approach, but it must, at its core, keep employees united and focused on corporate goals. 

2. Using video to keep teams together 

To create a functioning hybrid work model, you can take a few simple starting steps to integrate video in a way that helps everyone to work better together: 

• Hold fewer “in-person” meetings, especially if you have frequent meetings that drag on for a long time. Invite critical staff and record it so everyone can watch on their schedule. 
• Pre-record important pieces answering common questions or providing information that everyone needs for the transition. 
• Use a cloud-based system for employees to work together and share videos and other recordings. Allow staff to access these at home. 

Video is one way to support a crucial element that supports a hybrid work model: communication with staff. 

3. Communication is key 

No matter what goals you decide to set, the most important thing to address when creating a hybrid work model is to keep your staff in the loop. Open communication is vital for creating trust whether workers are returning to the office or spending more time working from home. Technology should support collaboration among all employees, no matter where they work. 

While the goal is, of course, to ensure a steady transition to this hybrid model, failing to address staff concerns can hurt productivity. While you do need to set work standards, you must also provide autonomy to empower workers. 

After the pandemic, some employees may be hesitant to return to an office setting. It’s critical to understand the source of their hesitancy to help you properly design a better work model. Survey your employees beforehand. 

Questions that address post-COVID19 work policies as well as hesitancy to return to the office include: 

• Do they have worries about the virus in the workplace? 
• Are they challenged by finding childcare if their children are still in remote schooling? 
• Are they caring for a high-risk family member? 
• Have they now rearranged their lives so that returning to the office is more costly or complicated? 

Whatever policies you choose to create, you must continue to stay engaged with your employees. Employ communication tools that will empower the staff with options like communities, groups, feeds, announcements, and more. These keep everyone up-to-date with any evolving or changing policies. 

4. Empowering your staff 

First, you must tackle work safety with protective policies. These will also require you to take into consideration state and federal mandates, as well as suggestions from your Department of Health, OSHA, and the CDC. 

Be aware that there may be future lockdowns or additional mandates that will impact your office. Address these possibilities as well. 

However, HR and management should also take this opportunity to build a comprehensive corporate culture that empowers employees to be engaged and productive. 

For example, the diversity and inclusiveness of a company may improve revenue. It also helps employees feel safe and secure. Addressing these issues with transparency and diligence can build a diverse and robust work atmosphere. 

Cultural inclusion, diverse recruiting, and employee reward programs are goals that help build your firm. Continue to collect data and metrics on your progress to benefit your employees and your company in general. Work towards creating safe, cost-effective ways for everyone to return to work with a hybrid model. 

5. Designing your workflow 

Where do you begin designing hybrid or flexible work options? Begin by creating an efficient workflow model. It starts by putting your employees at the center of your plan. How do you get them to effectively and efficiently succeed while achieving your company’s purpose? 

Continue to drill down by looking at several elements, such as: 

• Your organizational culture 
• The stakeholder’s priorities 
• Existing policies 
• Decision chains 
• How the departments fit together 
• Current workflow 

Once you understand these corporate elements, you can now build a system to empower the staff around your corporate goals. Brainstorm different ways to achieve them. Eventually, you will want to test your ideas, including hybrid options and ways to transition. 

6. Transitioning your staff 

Next, you need to address the transition to a permanent hybrid work model. You can stagger how and when people return to the office. For example, if key functions have become more difficult without certain teams in the office, those can be the first people to bring back to the office. 

Another decision to make is how to alter your current 40-hour workweek standards. Will there be one day a week at home? One day a month? Shorter hours? There are 20 different alternative work schedules that you can customize to create the right model for your company. Factor in time for trial and error until you get these systems right. 

Some of this design will come from employee feedback. For example, if some employees cannot work early morning due to obligations, you have several choices. You can stagger work shifts or have certain days start remote and then have people come into the office. 

Keep in mind that some employees will benefit more from a standard in-office, 40-hour workweek. Are you willing to do that, or would you prefer to close the office on certain days? Remember that closing the office will save on company bills as well as reducing your carbon footprint. It may even allow you to move to a smaller, more cost-effective office location if you need less space. 

Your choices will matter to your employees, all of whom will depend on the right technology to make this run smoothly. 

7. Technology for remote work 

One of the biggest technological challenges of remote work options is ensuring that your corporate data remains secure. The challenges of the “Internet of Things” (IoT) must be addressed. That's when technology connected to the internet sends data and does tasks without human assistance. Security systems, for example, protect your home or office by alerting authorities about intruders when you are not there. 

Unfortunately, this can create opportunities for security breaches such as stolen data, malware installation, or vulnerabilities when software is not properly updated. Users can also get into trouble when they unwittingly use technology in risky ways. 

Work with your IT department to provide solutions, such as blockchain, to improve IoT security. Blockchain is a way to spread data in secured pieces rather than just in one location. Access to this data is highly monitored. There are plenty of pros and cons, so speak with your technology team to see if this is the right choice to protect your company. 

How can HR evolve in the hybrid era with Empuls 

When transitioning to a permanent hybrid work model, there are many factors to take into consideration. The well-being and productivity of the staff should be your first consideration. Keep the lines of communication open, empower employees, and design workflow utilizing the best tools and technology as you do. This is where Empuls come in. 

1. From admin to strategic driver: HR has transitioned from handling personnel tasks to becoming a strategic function with board-level influence. The focus now includes employee experience (EX), cultural alignment, and talent optimization. 

2. Remote & hybrid work is here to stay: The post-COVID shift toward hybrid work is permanent, with Gartner reporting 82% of companies supporting some form of remote work. HR must now ensure flexibility, productivity, and connectedness for distributed teams.

3. Rebuilding culture & connection: Culture needs active shaping, especially in hybrid environments. HR must engage employees meaningfully, foster agility, and prioritize wellness. 

4. Performance, upskilling & workforce design: Organizations need to move toward outcome-based performance. Upskilling and flexible hiring (including gig workers) are crucial in the hybrid era. 

5. Employee wellbeing as a core priority: Financial stress, mental health, and work-life balance are top HR concerns. 

Summing it up 

Putting it all together, human resources professionals have played a crucial role in the lives and work of their organizations’ employees throughout the crisis. The challenge and opportunity that lies ahead are to overcome the difficulties of bureaucracy that have plagued HR in the past to boost flexibility agility and evolve HR's function in response. 

The era of digital labor and AI is not far off; it is already here, and the function of HR must be redefined to survive this digital transformation. Organizations will survive and reach new heights in this disruptive era if they make the hybrid workforce model "the permanent way to go" as quickly as possible. At this time, Empuls is the right solution for you because it provides: 
 

• Enterprise-grade Security (SOC II, ISO, GDPR) 
• Multilingual & Multicurrency capabilities 
• Quick setup, DIY workflows, and integrations with MS Teams, Slack, HRMS, and more 
• AI-powered engagement assistant (“Em”) for proactive nudges and intelligent insights 

If you're shaping the future of work and employee engagement in a hybrid or global environment, Empuls is purpose-built to support you across the lifecycle — from listening to aligning, recognizing, and rewarding your workforce. Schedule a call now!