How Industry 4.0 is Shaping the Role of the HR Manager – A Review of the Contemporary Research

Industry 4.0 represents the Fourth Industrial Revolution, based on digitalization, automation, the use of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and big data analytics. These technologies are transforming business processes and have a profound impact on human resource management. The aim of this paper is to systematically analyze the impact of Industry 4.0 on the changing role of HR managers, to identify which new competencies are becoming essential for HR professionals, and to examine how these changes affect organizational structures. Tools such as AI, People Analytics, and automation enable the optimization of recruitment, training, employee evaluation, and workforce planning, while at the same time posing challenges related to digital skills, change management, and the legal and ethical considerations of data usage. Particularly significant is the shift in the perception of employees — from “performance monitoring” to “supported autonomy”.