Business leaders will need to flex to manage the coronavirus impact on HR
No amount of technology, AI or automation will take the “human” out of human resources. The current pandemic has brought to light some workforce needs that require a human touch. As we continue to navigate the coronavirus impact on HR, business leaders will need to develop an approach that addresses workforce needs beyond tools and technology.
The Basics
Throughout the past few months of social distancing and remote work, HR leaders have supported their teams in accessing the tools and technology they need for success. Laptops, wireless connections, virtual meeting platforms and mental health resources help set the foundation for employees to conduct their work from home.
These tools represent the basics of what is needed to work remotely and be productive. As time has progressed, employees themselves have asked for more and better communication, ways to facilitate productivity, ideas for achieving work-life balance and more social-emotional support. In other words, we need to listen to employees to understand what they are struggling with to provide them with what they need.
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us that businesses need the ability to flex during a crisis. Whether it’s future spikes of this coronavirus or other world events that necessitate remote work, leaders need to recognize that remote work is here to stay. The way to drive teamwork, innovation and have a healthy culture are evolving as we learn what works best for different types of jobs and employee situations.
Worker Well-being
The research firm Bersin conducted a Remote Work Bootcamp in which they sought feedback from more than 1,000 HR professionals. That program identified a few key findings:
Remote work resulted in more positive outcomes than expected, including strong productivity
Top workforce needs include: technology, two-way communication, engagement/productivity, work-life balance, physical well-being, job security, online learning and social/emotional support
Of note, as the program has progressed, the top workforce need shifted from technology to work-life balance
Physical and emotional well-being needs rank among the top concerns for a combined 40 percent of participants
That brief snapshot tells us that people need more than IT support – they need human support. People cannot produce good work – let alone innovate or create at high-quality levels – if their basic needs for health and safety have not been met. As personal lives and work lives blend more intimately in a remote-work reality, HR leaders cannot afford to ignore that fundamental fact.
As reported by CNBC:
“One of the biggest challenges CHROs face during this crisis is maintaining employee morale and helping them manage mounting levels of stress and anxiety. Working from home with a spouse doing the same, while also trying to help kids with online classes, is a recipe for stress and mental exhaustion.”
Some employees need flexible schedules in order to meet the demands of home life as they work. Others feel increasingly isolated from their peers and want social and creative time with colleagues. Many will need coping strategies for reducing or managing stress, including access to counselors and other support networks.
Businesses can begin to meet those needs in a variety of ways:
Regularly communicating about the company’s EAP
Offering virtual opportunities for creating social connections between team members
Creating employee hubs that encourage both professional and personal interaction and two-way communication
Address mental health needs by expanding employee well-being programs with mind-body resources
Consider what work-life balance means for people and how internal restructuring of teams or processes could better meet workforce and business needs
HR teams can also move beyond basic employee surveys to understand the needs of their people. Encourage open discussion of what work-life balance means and seek new ways to support your people in achieving it.
Employee health and engagement go hand-in-hand: Happy and healthy workers think more clearly and produce better results.
Identifying Opportunities
While a change in the status quo can bring fear and uncertainty, and the pandemic has certainly created both around the world, it can also bring a fresh perspective and better ways of approaching problems.
Future Workforce conducted a survey and asked HR executives to consider how Covid-19 could positively impact business. Participants responded that it could lead to new products and services, create new approaches to business functions, encourage more employee cross-training and open up new learning opportunities.
Business will focus more on skills-based hiring and reskilling workers as the market continues to evolve. Employees who have 21st century technology skills – combined with high-value essential skills like creativity, problem-solving and relationship-building – will help lead companies’ successful reemergence from the pandemic. HR leaders can help cement that positive change by rallying for employee investment and looking for new opportunities as they emerge.
Bottom line, we’re in a new normal, and we have an opportunity to be creative in how we meet employee and organizational needs. It’s time to take into account the whole person and how each person contributes to the organization’s overall success.
As you navigate the new realities of business in 2020, working with an experienced HR consultant can help you engage your people and meet the needs of your client base. Reach out to me to learn more.