SAP NOW AI Tour: Applications: Accelerating Productivity: HR’s Role Across the Transformation Journey

The session, "Accelerating Productivity: HR’s Role Across the Transformation Journey," explored how HR is evolving into a strategic driver of business transformation. Moderated by Anna Kelly (Customer Success Manager, SAP SuccessFactors), the panel featured Jayde Hunt (Manager, Organisational Capability, S32) and Bernie Repacholi (Head of Technology, Coles), who shared how their organisations are leveraging technology, AI, and automation to enhance efficiency, empower employees, and sustain productivity in a rapidly changing environment.The discussion emphasised the importance of co-design with employees and stakeholders to ensure HR systems are intuitive and embedded into daily work. Key takeaways included the power of automating routine HR tasks to free managers for more meaningful conversations, the cultural and mindset shifts needed to avoid seeing technology as a silver bullet, and the importance of stakeholder engagement, governance, and strong change management. The panelists underscored that HR transformation extends beyond implementation, requiring continuous improvement, simplified complexity, and sustained post-go-live governance. Looking forward, priorities include the ethical use of employee data, AI-powered recruitment enhancements, and striking a balance between foundational data management and advanced automation. Ultimately, HR’s role is not only to support business operations but to accelerate productivity and drive transformation by placing people at the centre