How COVID-19 Has Forced HR Leaders to Reinvent Their Roles

COVID- 19 has been a wake-up call to many businesses and organizations to consider the role of their human resources departments. Many businesses embraced remote work at the start of 2020, causing teamwork models to shift toward online collaboration. Working from home was an unknown domain for many organizations.

Employees were focused on adapting to the changes. Still, the remote workplace model continues to evolve even a year later, all to surmount the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

HR managers bore the full brunt of the pandemic-generated shift, navigating new health and safety regulations while supporting managers and subordinate staff to adapt to the new normal. They oversaw cutbacks in various areas of business, especially the reduction of employee numbers. HR managers also observed their roles, ensuring administrative processes run without significant hitches.

Currently, the survival of many businesses depends on two departments; IT (Information Technology) and HR (Human Resources). The top brass in most companies strives to ensure remote workers are armed with the relevant technology and vital support to ensure they can deliver when working from home. Conversely, HR managers must also ensure sensitive data is safe as teams work remotely, ensuring the staff is engaged and productive.

Organizations are looking forward and forging ahead, but also must take stock of the changes and how they impact the company’s future to determine how the new normal demands HR to reinvent its role. The COVID pandemic dealt heavy blows like social divisiveness, extreme health risks, and high unemployment to the point where some businesses closed.

However, Josh Bersin, an HR analyst, does pick out some positives. He notes that COVID-19 has forced HR managers and teams to be innovative, developing new strategies to work, inventing new job models, learning programs, payment methods, and ways to incentivize employees.

In this article, we shall discuss six crucial changes and how HR can maximize those changes in the coming years.

1. Establish new regulations regarding workplace health and safety.
2. Integrate systems to enhance efficiency.
3. Develop initiatives that promote equity, diversity, and inclusivity.
4. Reinforce new programs regarding employee time-offs.
5. Adapt to the remote working norm.
6. Leverage technology to bolster employee engagement.

The coronavirus pandemic necessitated changes within many organizations. The adjustments were on a grander scale for many businesses, and the resulting trauma was evident in the workers and their leaders. Hence, HR managers must put what they learned into use to ensure their respective places of work transition and adapt to the changes.

Establish New Regulations Regarding Workplace Health And Safety

HR managers are expected to stay current with evolving health and safety protocols. They must understand the different elements associated with the rapidly changing environment to ensure organizations meet the new policies and procedures. Companies might feel overwhelmed by the constant COVID-19 updates and will turn to their HR agencies like HR Talent as a chief source of accurate information about what they must do regarding work and staying safe during the pandemic and as we advance.

HR departments must ensure companies get the essential information to make prudent decisions and that the employees are abreast of the new policies. Businesses planning to reinstate workplace productivity should expect their employees to be nervous or hesitant about returning to the office. Most workers’ fears or concerns are regarding being required to return to work before it is safe.

Companies turn to HR departments to address workers’ health and safety concerns. Hence, HR will work closely with other departments like the IT, communications, and finance departments to develop robust plans to help employees return to the workplace feeling assured of their safety and wellbeing.