Digital Revolution, AI and Sustainability Challenges in the Workplace

The intersection of human resource management (HRM), digital transformation, and organizational sustainability stands at the forefront of contemporary management research. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations have witnessed unprecedented acceleration in digital technologies - ranging from remote work platforms and e-learning to the integration of algorithmic and generative AI into HR practices. While technology offers immense promise, it also introduces complex dilemmas regarding transparency, accountability, and ethics, particularly as employers adopt AI-augmented systems amid stakeholder skepticism. Recent studies have explored conflicting demands on HRM’s digitalization and highlighted the growing tension between business enthusiasm and ethical concerns (Varma et al., 2023; De Obesso Arias et al., 2023). In parallel, the expansion of business activities has raised major sustainability challenges, prompting urgent organizational transitions toward eco-conscious models in accordance with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite emerging insights, critical knowledge gaps remain regarding how HR digitalization and sustainability efforts can be harmonized to secure both organizational effectiveness and social responsibility.This Research Topic aims to investigate how digital transformation, particularly through AI and advanced technologies, is reshaping HRM practices, organizational architectures, and the future of work. It seeks to analyse the paradoxical impact of these technologies by addressing both the drivers and barriers to adoption, including ethical governance and stakeholder trust. It also pays explicit attention to how these transformations shape people’s experiences of work, including well-being, inclusion, autonomy, and fairness. In addition, it considers broader societal implications, such as shifting power relations, unequal access to opportunity, and the effects of increasingly data-driven forms of work. Further, the Research Topic will explore the alignment of digital HR initiatives with sustainability objectives, the implications for employee well-being and engagement, and the interdisciplinary connections emerging between management functions in a digitally enabled, sustainable organization. By shedding light on these dynamics, and in particular the human and social impact of these digital technologies, the Research Topic aspires to empower managers, policymakers, and academics to effectively navigate digital disruptions while fostering business effectiveness and sustainability.The Research Topic encompasses a broad, yet defined, examination of digital and sustainable transformation in HRM. It will focus on the interplay between emerging HR technologies, organizational change, and sustainability frameworks, without examining purely technical or isolated technological developments. To gather further insights in the integration of digitalization and sustainability in HRM and the future workplace, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• remote and hybrid work models, including leadership and collaboration tools• employee engagement and well-being in digital workspaces• HR platforms, automation, and talent marketplaces• managing gig and platform-based digital workforces• organizational culture, inclusion, and diversity in the digital age• digital HR practices aligned with Sustainable Development Goals• green HRM initiatives and digital sustainability practices• conflict management, ethical governance, and employee support in virtual environments. Topic editors: BHAWANA BHARDWAJ, Dipanker Sharma, Dilip Mutum Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79319/digital-revolution-ai-and-sustainability-challenges-in-the-workplace