Challenges of Digital Acceleration for Human Resource Management in Small Enterprises

Abstract

In this article, we investigated the challenges that digital acceleration imposes on Human Resources management in small enterprises, considering that the rapid incorporation of technologies does not always occur in a planned manner or in alignment with management processes. The general objective was to analyze these challenges,  and,  more  specifically,  to  identify  technological,  structural,  and  human-related obstacles, to examine limitations to the adoption of digital solutions, and to investigate opportunities arising from the digitalization of Human Resources processes. A Integrative literature review was adopted as the research method, with a systematized selection of recent scientific publications and complementary consultation of institutional sources to contextualize the Brazilian scenario. The results indicate that small enterprises face financial and infrastructure constraints, difficulties in system integration, overload of the Human Resources function, gaps in digital competencies, and resistance to change. On the other hand, opportunities related to increased efficiency, improved organization of information, and strengthened support for decision-making were observed. We concluded that digital acceleration can enhance the strategic role of Human Resources, provided that digital initiatives are implemented gradually, aligned with organizational capacity, and accompanied by employee training and adjustments to internal processes.