Oleh Voloboiev

Type of the article: Research Article

The digital transformation of human resource management has intensified interest in social engineering to influence employee behavior within HR practices. The relevance of this study arises from the need to systematize the forms of such influence, particularly in the context of the growing use of digital technologies that increasingly perform behavioral and regulatory functions. The article aims to develop a systematic approach to analyzing social engineering in HR management by proposing an original typology of targeted influence forms, exploring digital implementation mechanisms, and identifying ethical boundaries for such interventions. The object of the study is social engineering practices in human resource management systems. The methodological framework integrates an interdisciplinary approach, content analysis, theologization, and critical evaluation of ethical criteria for influence. As a result of the study, a five-component typology of social engineering in HR (cognitive-behavioral, emotional, normative-cultural, communicative, and organizational-structural vectors) is proposed, and digital influence tools are systematized. Four key ethical criteria were also identified for assessing the acceptability of such interventions. The practical value of the study lies in the potential to apply its results in developing ethical HR policies, implementing behavioral audit tools, and fostering a culture of digital security within organizations. HR professionals can use the proposed typology to design adaptive strategies that balance influence effectiveness with employee autonomy preservation.