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HRM Strategies for Covid-19
Who has ever thought of the challenges that 2020 would bring? HR professionals have
certainly not imagined the challenges that COVID-19 has dawned on them. The uncertainty has
crushed the economy, employees are in stressful situations, and HR professionals are trying their
best to keep everything in perspective and in an aligned manner. Nevertheless, is it as easy as it
sounds?
The sudden shift in work culture has brought new challenges for HR. The top priority for
HR professionals is now crisis response and how to keep the employees engaged and provide the
right communication channels and tools for remote work, and more.
1. Mental Health and Wellbeing
The sudden shift in work culture took a toll on overall employee health and wellbeing.
Stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues have always been there, and it is no new story.
Organizations have always been initiating wellness programs and providing employees with
security, health benefits, and flexibility to help them overcome their health issues. However, the
sudden COVID-19 outbreak has brought the employees’ mental problems in the front seat.
When you have your workers working in an office work environment, you at least
understand their pulse and sensitivity, and that helps you immensely to tackle the issues.
However, employees going remote, communication routes have been significantly compromised,
leaving the managers clueless or at least less conscious. In a recent COVID-19 pulse survey, HR
professionals across the globe responded health and wellbeing of the workers to be a major
concern.
2. Managing Remote Work
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The transition to remote work culture is not as seamless as it seems. Before the
COVID-19 outbreak, less than 50% of companies had a remote work program. Banks, regulated
industries, and many financial services companies did not encourage remote working. Now
almost all of them rushing to build remote work strategies.
This has led to many undiscovered problems. HR managers are trying to build seamless
routes and strategies to overcome the challenges that it brings. Strategies are no more designed
periodically or in advance but in real-time. The focus on employee productivity and engagement
has shifted to immediate responses and diagnosis. To provide employees with the right tools and
gather real-time updates from them from time to time to untangle the intricacies and offer
support.
