Development of human capital in modern enterprises in the era of changing economy

Purpose:The main aim of this paper is to present the importance of human capital and the areas of investment that determine its development.This is followed by the presentation of empirical research results that attempt to answer the following questions: Do the surveyed companies engage in human capital development?Are internal employee development programs adapted to employees' expectations, interests and needs?What areas are companies investing in to increase the value of human capital?Design/methodology/approach: Analysis of literature and website reports related to the topic under study, Conducted empirical research targeting managers of large and medium-sized enterprises in Lubusz Voivodeship.The survey was conducted in 2024 during the months of August-September.The research method was a diagnostic survey, the tool was an electronic survey questionnaire.Findings: Human capital in the era of changing economy is a key element that affects the competitiveness of modern companies, and therefore there should be continuous investment in the areas which determine its development in order to achieve market success.Most of the companies surveyed are involved in human capital development, but not all internal programs are adapted to employees' expectations, interests or needs.The most important areas affecting human capital development in the surveyed companies are: education and training, talent-based management and modern technology.Research limitations/implications: Research will be conducted to verify the rate of change in the area of future competencies in modern companies.Practical implications: The presented results constitute a valuable source that shows whether the surveyed companies are following the right direction in human capital investment.Originality/value: The paper can contribute to increasing managers' awareness of how to effectively develop and use of employees' potential.