Indeed, the 4th industrial revolution (4IR) has redefined the world of work. A new set of skills needs to be defined and made available to organisations. Human resource management practices now operate in a complex, interconnected, unpredictable, and evolving environment. The question that one needs to answer is: how can HR align its functions to meet the demands of the fourth IR? It is prudent that human resource functions evolve quickly and adapt to changing demands. Research purpose: This paper seeks to unpack the changes that have been brought about by the 4IR and suggest ways in which HR professionals in Lesotho can align with this inevitable era of digitalisation. Motivation for the study: Due to the dynamics and transformations that have been brought about by the 4IR, this study was motivated by the need to understand the effects of the 4IR in small economies on the HR function and offer lessons to embrace change. Research approach: The research was qualitative in nature, and data was collected purposefully from journal articles, newspapers, and book chapters. Content analysis was used for the data analysis. Research findings: The effects of the 4IR through digitalisation disruptions have been felt across all corporate functions, and HR is no exception. It has had a massive influence on both the economy and the labour force and impacted employee roles in terms of health, mobility, working hours, personal life, and general administration. HR leaders play a critical role in ensuring that businesses are able to successfully adopt and deploy new technologies. Contributions: The research unpacks the effects of 4IR and gives practical lessons for HR professionals in Lesotho.

The main purpose of this paper was to examine the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on employee well-being and work dynamics. Using qualitative methodology, three semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate the implications of generative AI on employee outcomes such as efficiency, job satisfaction, ethical considerations, and work-life balance. The findings highlighted the potential benefits and risks associated with generative AI implementation in the workplace. The study contributed to the literature by adopting a qualitative approach, allowing in-depth exploration of individual experiences with generative AI in the workplace. The study discussed the implications for employers, employees, and society.

Purpose: This article explores the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Human Resource Management (HRM) in the UAE, focusing on the critical challenges of fairness, bias, and privacy in recruitment processes. The study aims to understand how AI is transforming HR practices in the UAE, highlighting the issues of bias and privacy while examining real-world applications of AI in recruitment, employee engagement, talent management, and learning and development. Methodology: Through case study methodology, detailed insights are gathered from these companies to understand real-world applications of AI in HRM. A comparative analysis is conducted, comparing AI-driven HRM practices in UAE-based organizations with international examples to highlight global trends and best practices. Findings: The research reveals that while AI holds significant potential to streamline HR functions such as recruitment, onboarding, performance monitoring, and talent management, it also discusses challenges and strategies companies face and develop in integrating AI into their HRM processes, reflecting the broader context of AI adoption in the UAE’s HR landscape. Originality: This paper contributes to the growing body of literature on AI in HRM by focusing on the unique context of the UAE, a rapidly developing market with a highly diverse workforce. It highlights the specific challenges and opportunities faced by organizations in the UAE when implementing AI in HRM, particularly regarding fairness, bias, and data privacy.

Purpose: This research paper aims to justify the need for the Quality of Hire (QOH) construct as a value-adding focus for strategic human resource management (SHRM). The traditional focus on efficiency and cost-oriented recruitment metrics overlooks the importance of QOH in providing a competitive advantage and delivering long-term value. The study expands the economic theory of human resource development and develops a profit-building concept relevant to SHRM by exploring the practices that enable QOH in organizations. Design: The study utilizes a case-study method to examine a target firm’s mechanisms to build QOH in its recruitment process. It applies a structuration theory lens to analyze the behavior of various actors, their agencies, and the continuous interplay between structure and action in enabling QOH. Findings: The findings suggest that assessing and building measures for getting QOH is a complex task for organizations due to the inherent reliance on lag measures such as performance and tenure. The study highlights that QOH can be enabled through changes in the firm’s recruitment practices. Originality: This paper contributes to recruitment research in two significant ways. First, it expands on the under-researched construct of QOH, providing clarity on its definition and importance. Second, it identifies lead practices that organizations can incorporate into their recruitment and selection processes to enable QOH. By using a structuration theory lens, the study explores how actors in the recruitment process adapt and align with new structural rules to enable QOH. Research implications: The research builds on the structuration theory in recruitment and selection and exhorts practitioners in organizations to move beyond efficiency-oriented recruitment practices and focus on practices that contribute to QOH. By considering post-hire outcomes, such as job performance and long-term retention, organizations can improve their talent acquisition and retention strategies, creating long-term value for the organizations.

Improving educational outcomes in subjects such as English and mathematics remains a significant challenge for educators and policymakers. Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM), which aligns human resource practices with organizational goals, has proven effective in business sectors but is less explored in educational contexts, especially from students’ perspectives. Existing studies often focus on teacher development, overlooking direct impacts on student performance. This research addresses the gap by examining how SHRM influences students’ performance in English and mathematics, incorporating student feedback to assess SHRM’s effectiveness. In the quantitative study, 200 students were analyzed to explore the relationship between SHRM practices and academic outcomes. The findings indicate that SHRM significantly affects student performance, with high predictive relevance and explanatory power in both subjects. The results suggest that strategic HR practices, such as professional development, performance management, and resource allocation, are critical to academic success. These insights provide valuable implications for educators and policymakers, highlighting the importance of integrating strategic HR management into educational frameworks to enhance curriculum design and resource distribution. The study demonstrates the broad applicability of SHRM across different academic disciplines, suggesting a need for comprehensive HR strategies that focus on both teacher and student performance. Future research should explore how SHRM influences educational outcomes and identify contextual factors that moderate its impact, enhancing effective HR practices in diverse academic settings.

In recent years, awareness of sustainability has increased significantly in the hospitality industry, particularly within the hotel sector, which is recognized as a major contributor to environmental degradation. In response to this challenge, hotel managers are increasingly implementing green human resource management (GHRM) practices to increase Organizational Citizenship Behavior. Considering job satisfaction, and organizational commitment as mediator. A survey was conducted with 383 employees from three- and four-star Egyptian hotels and the obtained data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 and Amos version 24. Structural equation modelling was used to analyze the data. The study revealed that GHRM practices positively impacts Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB), job satisfaction and organizational commitment in addition, the study found that job satisfaction and organizational mediates the relationship between Green Human Resource Management and Organizational Citizenship Behavior. The study found a positive link between GHRM and OCB, partially mediated by job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The recommend that implementation of GHRM practices in the hotel industry can have significant positive implications.