The objectives of this academic paper are: (1) to study and analyze the impact, adaptation, and role in human capital management of the COVID-19 pandemic situation and (2) to synthesize the new challenges in human capital management in the public sector from the New Normal to the Next Normal and analyze the success factors of these challenges, as well as make recommendations for policies that can be applied in public administration effectively after the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The study used a document analysis method. The results of the study found that there are impacts on human capital management from the COVID-19 pandemic situation in 4 dimensions: (1) the dimensions of work system design and analysis (2) the dimensions of training and development and human capital planning (3) performance management dimension; and (4) workplace safety dimension. Human capital management and the role of human resources aim to adapt to the digital age. And from the results of the study, it was suggested that the new challenges of human capital management in public sector of Thailand from the New Normal to the Next Normal are: (1) new challenges in the dimension of design and analysis of work systems from HiPPO-driven culture to data-driven culture; (2) new challenges in the dimension of training and development and human capital planning from the development of digital skills of personnel to the development of artificial intelligence (3) new Challenges in the dimension of performance management from work-from-home Assessments to work-from-anywhere or hybrid model assessment and (4) new Challenges in the dimension of safety and health from maintenance physical health of personnel to the mental health of personnel; with change leadership and change management as the success factors in driving human capital management in public sector towards the Next Normal.
Keywords: Human Capital Management, Public Sector, New Normal, Next Normal, COVID-19