Prioritizing HR Roles for Digital Transformation: Evidence From a Delphi Study of HR Directors

ABSTRACT Digital transformation has become a critical determinant of organizational performance, yet the specific ways human resource (HR) drive such transformation remain under‐specified, particularly in emerging‐market, regulated contexts. This study examines how HR contributes to successful digital transformation and which organizational outcomes HR directors in firms listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand regard as most important. Drawing on a three‐round Delphi study with 12 HR directors, the research develops expert consensus on how Ulrich's four HR roles—strategic partner, change agent, administrative expert, and employee champion—are configured and prioritized to support digital transformation. The findings indicate that experts assign highest priority to HR acting as a strategic partner and change agent to co‐define the digital vision, align people strategies, and lead cultural and behavioral change, while administrative expert and employee champion roles are viewed as critical for consolidating and sustaining transformation through digitized HR processes and targeted support for employees’ digital skills and engagement. The study further identifies three key expert‐consensus indicators of successful digital transformation—operational efficiency, employee digital readiness, and strategic agility—and highlights specific HR practices (such as digital self‐service systems, monitoring of digital technology use, and incentives for digital behaviors) as critical enablers of these indicators. These indicators are derived from Delphi judgments and should be interpreted as consensus‐based signals of successful digital transformation rather than as directly measured organizational performance outcomes. Overall, the paper advances understanding of HR's role architecture in digital transformation by specifying a context‐sensitive configuration and prioritization of HR roles, and it provides a practical blueprint for HR leaders seeking to orchestrate digital change in emerging‐market, capital‐market environments.