Human Resources (HR) is a company’s backbone, and this is never truer than during challenging times like these. I might sound biased in favour of HR, but truly the COVID-19 crisis has given HR teams a unique opportunity to demonstrate what they are best at. HR teams are helping businesses make strategic decisions and decisions concerning employees. It is now time for HR professionals to re-assert their leadership to build new ways of working that create sustainability for organisations and their workers at the same time leveraging on technology to enhance performance and productivity of organisations. The need for a digital transformation from operating in a traditional way of doing things is undeniable. The sooner the shift, the higher the chances of survival. In order to respond to the changing employment landscape, HR needs to collaborate and upskill, embracing new technologies and disruptive innovations. Having data and systems in organisations will free HR managers to focus on their people while providing them with the insights they need to be effective. Truly this is the right time for HR to evolve. HR leaders and teams have a critical role to play in this new environment with all the evolving technologies, demographic and societal trends we are experiencing, and which look set to continue. HR leaders are harnessing the resources and insights to redefine obsolete models, and implement technologies such as analytics, digital labour and artificial intelligence. Nevertheless, many HR leaders are a bit discombobulated and overwhelmed by so many new additions, thus facing the risk of extinction. They are either struggling to adapt to this digital era or ignoring change altogether, the coronavirus pandemic is fundamentally shifting how we live and do business. Artificial intelligence on the rise Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to technology used to do a task that requires some level of intelligence to accomplish. In other words, they are tools trained to do what a human can do. Technology can be used to cement and reinforce internal structures of the workforce and ensure employees feel secure and supported during the shift to a digital workplace. AI is reinventing human resources in a way not seen before by automating recruitment, onboarding learning and development, allowing HR teams to focus more on creative and strategic work. AI is being used in HR to automate repetitive, low-value tasks thus increasing the focus on more strategic work. Many fear that the rise of AI will lead to machines and robots replacing human workers and view this progression in technology as a threat rather than a tool to better ourselves. Artificial intelligence at the workplace allows a company and its employees to reach maximum efficiency levels, leaving more time for projects and networking. Data analytics transforming HR (HR analytics) HR analytics is an approach that leverages on statistical modelling and advanced analytics practices to analyse employee data sets and extract actionable insights to improve decision-making and resou