Digital transformation in human resources: a case study of five-star hotels

Purpose This study examines the role of digital technologies in human resource (HR) operations and their impact on competitiveness and reputation in five-star hotels. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research design was employed, involving purposively selected 41 human resource managers from five-star hotels. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed in MAXQDA using a hybrid thematic analysis approach. Findings Digital HR practices act as strategic assets in dynamic capabilities (DC). While identifying significant benefits in recruitment efficiency, employee orientation, and organizational communication, it highlights critical emerging challenges such as “human touch anxiety” and “trust and privacy dilemmas”. These findings suggest that the hospitality industry's digital transformation requires a delicate balance between technological integration and its inherent human-centric nature. Practical implications The study provides strategic recommendations for hotel executives, emphasizing the need to establish digital ethics protocols and adopt an “HR marketing” approach. These strategies help optimize digital HR tools while maintaining employee loyalty and service quality in competitive markets. Originality/value The study offers rare qualitative evidence from a major developing tourism economy, filling a significant gap in a field often dominated by quantitative research from developed markets. By integrating the technology acceptance model (TAM), diffusion of innovations theory (DOI), the resource-based view (RBV), and the DC perspective, digital HR is positioned as a core strategic capability that generates sustainable competitive advantage in hospitality organizations.