IS YOUR HR DEPARTMENT OBSOLETE? REDEFINING PEOPLE OPERATIONS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Tika Zulhiani (Universitas Riau Kepulauan)
Ramon Zamora (Universitas Riau Kepulauan)
Lukmanul Hakim (Universitas Riau Kepulauan)

Multidiciplinary Output Research for Actual and International Issue (Morfai Journal)
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026): Multidiciplinary Output Research For Actual and International Issue

This article examines the critical imperative for organizations to transform their traditional Human Resources (HR) function into a strategic, modern People Operations model. The background establishes that in a knowledge-based economy where human capital is the primary driver of value, administrative and reactive HR practices create a strategic liability. The objective is to provide a diagnostic framework and a practical roadmap for this essential evolution. The methodology involves a synthesis of contemporary management literature, organizational case studies, and analysis of emerging best practices in talent strategy and employee experience. The results detail the four foundational pillars of a modern People function—Strategic Partnership, Employee Experience as a Product, Data-Driven Decisions, and Culture Cultivation—and a six-step transformation roadmap. The discussion argues that this shift moves HR from a cost center to a core competitive advantage. The conclusion asserts that redefining people operations is not a choice but a strategic necessity for organizational resilience and growth.