Cover Story: How HR became a strategic imperative – HR


Earlier this year, Digital Nation held its ‘Digital as Usual‘ breakfast event for HR, finance and marketing. The event combined C-suite level players to discuss how the digital tools have shaped each department.




This chapter focuses on the way technology is helping evolve the HR industry across Australia. 

In today’s business world, digital transformation isn’t just for IT anymore. 

In fact, HR is embracing transformation to boost efficiency, elevate employee experience, and fuel business growth.

“There’s been a significant shift in priorities for executive leaders and CEOs,” senior director, advisory in Gartner’s HR practice, Robin Boomer told Digital Nation.

Technologies such as CRM platforms, management tools, HR and employee systems are revolutionising HR with enhanced efficiency and strategic decision-making capabilities. 

“HR technology isn’t just about improving efficiency,” Boomer said. “It’s about using technology to deliver strategic value to the organisation.”

According to Gartner, within talent management, HR leaders plan to invest in three main areas: performance management; employee experience and growth; and leadership development. 

But this is merely one facet of the digital tools available. In reality, HR leaders are navigating an increasingly intricate landscape filled with numerous challenges.

“The digital transformation of HR is a complex, often multi-year process,” Boomer said.

HR innovators on the front lines 

For those at the coalface like Daniella Meyer, director of people and culture at Greystar APAC and Japan, the impact of digital tools on the HR department extends far beyond operational efficiency. 

“These tools have allowed HR to secure a seat at the leadership table,” Meyer said. “Now, HR isn’t just a service provider; it’s a strategic partner influencing organisational decisions.

“HR technology was primarily about managing basic HR functions – payroll, recruitment, and personnel records. Fast forward to today, and it’s about leveraging data to drive strategic decisions across the organisation.

“We’ve transformed how we assess talent, moving beyond traditional metrics to predictive analytics.

“This shift has empowered HR not only to hire more effectively, but also to predict workforce trends and plan strategically.” 

For Fi Slaven, William Buck partner and general manager (with overall strategic and operational responsibilities for human resources), the journey began years ago, marking a gradual shift toward digital integration within the department.

“It’s not about reaching a destination, but about constant improvement,” Slaven said.

The transformation began with the implementation of a new HRIS, a cornerstone of their strategy, enabling everything from onboarding and training to leave management, replacing manual processes with efficient digital workflows.

However, as Slaven said, true transformation lies in integration.

“We’re not just automating for the sake of it. Every step aims to enhance our ability to support and nurture our most valuable asset: our people,” Slaven said.

Zena Habib, head of people, business partnering, ANZ, at Real Pet Food Company, sees one of the most significant impacts of digital transformation in HR as the enhanced automation of workflow escalation.

“Previously, HR professionals and cultural professionals had to manually track and follow up on tasks. Now, you simply import the data into the application, which is connected to an organisational structure with a management flow attached,” Habib said.

“When tasks aren’t completed or submissions aren’t made, the system escalates the issue automatically. This is fantastic for HR business partners, as they receive prompts indicating that a task hasn’t been completed and showing where it has been escalated.

This is a significant game changer: by automating tasks that were once manual, such as data entry and follow-ups.  

Navigating change management 

Anat Hassner, chief people and strategy officer at Uniting, knows all too well about the challenges and complexities of change management during the digital transformation journey.

“We haven’t been great at change management in the past. Often, tools end up sitting idle or are met with resistance because they’re mandated without proper engagement,” Hassner said.

Through the process Hassner learned it’s crucial to collaborate closely with all teams across the company to ensure they feel empowered and influential in the rollout.

“Frontline teams, for example, require basic digital tools training for effective adoption of the new system, while middle managers, often change-resistant, are targeted for strategies to overcome their resistance and ensure active engagement,” Hassner said.  

Overall, Hassner said she’s rebuilding trust with employees who previously rejected digital systems, providing training for frontline teams less familiar with digital tools and actively engaging middle management to overcome resistance.

Future success enabled by digital tools

According to Jodette Cleary, chief people and culture officer at Hipages, digital tools have significantly impacted the department’s success, already showing ROI and tangible benefits. 

“Feedback from the board is that my team punches well above our weight for our size and what we deliver to the business,” Cleary said. 

Cleary emphasised the importance of leveraging these tools for strategic direction.

“These tools significantly reduce administrative burdens, freeing up time to think strategically and engage in value-added initiatives.

“As a result, the team can be more strategic and tailor solutions for the entire company and individual departments. Our business partner model allows us to deeply understand and meet departmental needs.” 

Enhanced collaboration across all teams

Notably, collaboration is also a key driver of success and thanks to digital transformation, HR and IT now collaborate more closely than ever before.

Real Pet Food Company’s Habib noted that the newfound relationship between HR and IT isn’t only enhancing the employee experience, but is also a strategic imperative for any organisation.

“Employee experience requirements are being considered and integrated into the end-user experience. This empowers HR departments and is a real game-changer for many companies.”

AI and the future of HR

AI remains a prominent topic across industries, including HR. 

Consensus among HR thought leaders is clear: AI serves to enhance rather than replace human roles, promising to transform processes and save valuable time.

“I’m hopeful that AI will actually humanise work by making it more enjoyable and removing some of the less desirable aspects of our jobs,” according to Hipages’ Cleary.

“Nearly every job includes tasks that aren’t universally loved, and that’s what I’m optimistic about changing.” 

Habib agrees, but also warns – not just about AI, but across all digital aspects– that without accurate foundational data, there’s no true value.

“I believe others can relate: like any system, the application’s effectiveness depends on the quality of the data you input. However, if the data is compromised in any way, be prepared for manual processes to take over,” Habib said.  

Despite the challenges faced, the entire journey is exhilarating—and there’s no looking back, according to all HR experts. 

“Once you embark on that journey and everybody’s on board, the rest is history. It all just falls into place,” Habib said.  

To hear more about the digital transformation of other business functions including the HR and finance departments, read the full Digital As Usual report here.



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