Editorial in Special Issue on Alternative Work Arrangements Seeks to Spur New Thinking, Evidence on Role of Human Resources Professionals

Employee work arrangements are a challenge to management globally, with effects on employees’ experiences and the success of organizations. In an editorial written as an introduction to a special issue, researchers highlight the critical role of human resources (HR) professionals in dealing with alternative work arrangements. In so doing, they seek to spur new thinking and evidence on HR’s role in the context of such arrangements.

The editorial was written by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Deakin University, RMIT University, the University of South Wales, and the University of Liverpool, who served as guest editors of the special issue. It is published in the International Journal of Human Resource Management.

“HR professionals hold unique positions in organizations, performing multiple roles that are vital to success,” explains Denise M. Rousseau, professor of organizational behavior and public policy at Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College, who coauthored the editorial. “As their roles continue to evolve, it is crucial to explore their perspectives, including how they address, manage, and champion these shifts in work arrangements.”

Alternative work arrangements, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, include remote work, hybrid work, and flexible work. Their benefits to flexibility and work-family balance are compelling, yet many managers express reservations about them due to anticipated or perceived difficulties in coordinating tasks, maintaining communication, and fostering effective teamwork. Concerns persist about whether employees working remotely or flexibly maintain the same level of productivity, learning, and responsiveness as those working in the physical plant or office.

HR professionals are at the heart of these issues. Given their fundamental responsibilities in representing the many interests of employees, line managers, and senior leaders, these professionals are pivotal to managing the overall process of alternative work arrangements and facilitating resolutions to ongoing challenges. Yet despite the significance and growth of these arrangements, little is known about how HR professionals process and respond to demands and opportunities for working beyond the office.

For this reason, the editors of the International Journal of Human Resource Management devoted a special issue to spotlight the role of HR professionals in balancing tensions across a range of employee preferences and alternative work arrangements in organizations today. In their editorial, the authors say they hope the issue sparks new thinking and evidence on this issue, while also recognizing the well-known functions of HR managers as strategic partners, change agents, administrative experts, and champions of employees.

The editorial provides an overview of the four articles in the special issue, then touches on directions for research in this field and new areas of study.

“Having both access to information and the ability to influence companies’ culture, learning, technology, and employees’ well-being, HR professionals are key change agents affecting the introduction, maintenance, and effectiveness of alternative work arrangements,” says Alfred Presbitero, associate professor at Deakin University’s Deakin Business School, the lead author of the editorial.

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Summarized from an article in the International Journal of Human Resource Management, "The Present and Future Role of HR Professionals in Addressing, Managing, and Championing Alternative Work Arrangements," by Presbitero, A (Deakin University), Dhaenens, AJ (RMIT University), Sanders, K (University of South Wales), Yang, H (University of Liverpool), and Rousseau, DM (Carnegie Mellon University). Copyright 2026 Informa UK Ltd. All rights reserved.

About Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy
The Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy is home to two internationally recognized schools: the School of Information Systems and Management and the School of Public Policy and Management. Heinz College leads at the intersection of people, policy, and technology, with expertise in analytics, artificial intelligence, arts & entertainment, cybersecurity, health care, and public policy. The college offers top-ranked undergraduate, graduate, and executive education certificates in these areas. Our programs are ranked #1 in Information Systems, #1 in Information and Technology Management, #7 in Public Policy Analysis, and #1 in Cybersecurity by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit www.heinz.cmu.edu.