A subsidiary of the CK Birla Group, National Engineering Industries manufactures a wide range of bearings and axle boxes for automotive, industrial, railways and for general applications. It mainly operates in three industry clusters – technology & automotive, home & building, and healthcare & education.

Technology is is influencing our lives at a pace that is unprecedented- it is touching all facets human life and workplaces not leaving HR as an exception. While behaviors at workplaces are experiencing the impact of digital disruption beyond organisational landscapes and working environments, it is interesting to understand the how this will have to change the way we manage, lead, and organize ourselves specially in the work environment. These changes will have an effect on organizations across all sectors over a workforce which is increasingly diverse in outlook.

In this backdrop, HR strategies of CHRO's are bound to evolve and stretch themselves to include digital technology in HR functions. These new inclusions call for HR to pause and reshape its approach with futuristic considerations. However,the management of this change is by far the most enduring bottleneck to digital transformation. The implication of this for human resource can be understood under three subsets; First,human resources should be part of the digital strategy and provide input into the organization’s digital strategy to ensure that the firm has digital capabilities. Second, human resources should be part of the digital strategy and provide input

into the organization’s digital strategy to ensure that the firm has digital capabilities. Second, human resources should be a strategic partner in the overall agenda of change management,culture alignment and overall digital transformation. Third, the HR function needs to ensure that the HR programs and processes are in place to support the digital strategy and the overall employee experience. The central theme remains improving the fit between the digital agenda, the organization enablers and the employee experience.

Organizations today find it of paramount importance to increase productivity, develop new technologies, expand globally, respond to changes, develop a talented workforce and build leaderships. In this scenario, digital transformation has given way for a great opportunity for HR to add value. Attention must be focussed in the key areas of Digital Leadership availability, Culture Alignment, Employee Processes, Communication, Change Management and Talent Management.

It is important to reinstate that the concept of ‘digital’ goes way beyond technology, it can be understood as a means to meet a mission statement. This calls for a change in the culture and environment organisations create and provide to drive agility, innovativeness, creativity and smart decision making. Digital culture is a belief that can create a positive future for our businesses, our societies and us. Its driving behaviours towards being collaborative, connected, adaptive, and data driven. However, to reap the benefits of digital, HR must be prepared to undertake deep shifts that are as much cultural as they are process oriented in nature.

The context of digital provides unique challenges for HR to deliver on the strategic agenda. Clarity on vision, people processes, customer expectations, agile workplaces, roles and skills for future talent are questions of the hour which need to be addressed. It is safe to stay that one of HR’s most important role may well be to ensure that the organization has an ample supply of digital leadership and capability at every level of the enterprise. It must be a strong partner to drive digital mindsets within the organization.

HR has to step up to commit themselves to digital and key HR practices of effective digital leadership —developing a philosophy for digital, enabling digital mindsets, managing digital workforce and building a culture of digital. As an example, Jeff Immelt's decision to shift GE's headquarters to Boston to drive their change, transformation to a digital organization augurs well for HR to think in this direction.