Resumo

Digital transformation (DT) has rapidly advanced, reconfiguring social, legal, and economic arrangements. Within organizations, the Human Resources (HR) area faces the challenge of aligning its processes and practices with the demands of DT. The lack of a digital mindset among HR professionals can limit the effectiveness of initiatives that drive business DT. This study proposes a guide to develop the mindset of HR professionals, aiming to prepare them to face the challenges of the digital era and support DT in organizations.

The study was conducted in large private organizations, founders of the Instituto Caldeira in Porto Alegre, a space dedicated to research, technology, and innovation activities. The selected companies had more than 1000 employees and were not business groups. The research included interviews with senior HR leaders from these organizations.

HR professionals often limit themselves to an established set of solutions, even though they have senior professionals. On the other hand, companies need to create solutions that rethink the approach to problem-solving, develop necessary skills, and evolve the organizational culture to drive change. This situation highlights the need for HR professionals to develop new approaches to face the challenges of digital transformation.

The intervention involved conducting semi-structured interviews with HR leaders from six large companies in DT. The interviews identified the role of HR in organizations undergoing DT, as well as the restrictive and driving factors of the HR professionals' mindset in these contexts. Based on the interviews and the literature, a structured guide was developed. To validate the guide, a focus group with DT and HR experts was conducted, evaluating the guide based on criteria such as clarity, relevance of the proposed mindsets, and practical applicability of the suggestions.

Based on the analysis of restrictive and driving factors and the role of the HR area in DT contexts found in the interviews and theoretical research, mindsets to be developed during the organizational change journey were identified. From these findings, the developed guide clarified the concept of the digital era, detailed the role of HR in DT, presented the essential mindsets to be developed by these professionals, and provided a practical roadmap for developing these mindsets.

The developed guide represents a significant contribution to the human resources area in digital transformation contexts. By focusing on mindset change, the guide helps prepare professionals more aligned with the demands of the digital environment, driving change in organizations. This contribution is essential for the sustainability of organizations in the digital scenario and for the evolution of the involved HR professionals.