Top 5 Challenges of HR Professionals During COVID-19 Pandemic

When it comes to the talks of the unemployment rate due to COVID-19, experts compare it to the Great Recession in 2007-2009, which had pushed the rate to 10.6%.

With economic slowdown and uncertainties all around, both the employees and the employers, are facing a hard time maintaining normal conditions in workplaces across all industries.

During these tough times, businesses are heavily relying on the HR teams to ensure business continuity and to keep the employees engaged and productive. They need to make their workforce feel safe during these unpredictable times.

However, the HR teams, who work closely with the employees to ensure their smooth functioning during the pandemic, are facing unique challenges because of the new ways of working and sudden changes in work culture.

Let’s take a look at some of those-

Managing the #NewNormal
According to Riverbed, about 88% of companies have shifted to working from home since the outbreak of the pandemic, and 81% have set up crisis management teams to handle the new norm. Before the pandemic, the scenario was completely different, as only about half of these organizations allowed their employees to work from home regularly. The HR professionals are thus facing a major challenge in managing the remote working teams. Immediate diagnoses of adversities and responses to the same have been on their priority list. As the teams responsible for many of the company policies, HR teams are needed to work on policy changes and communication of those changes to the entire workforce quickly.

Maintaining seamless communication
Information from health authorities and government officials is continually changing. The HR teams need to ensure that they act on these changes quickly and also communicate the same to their employees. HR teams are adopting ways like weekly newsletters, virtual sessions, and one-on-one conversations with their teams to ensure that everyone is always updated about the latest policies and changes. The employees need to be informed and updated, and the HR teams realize that they have to make their employees feel supported.

Managing flexibility in work
As the employees are working from home, it can be difficult for them to maintain a stringent schedule. The HR professionals are taking flexible work management as a challenge that they haven’t dealt with earlier. Monitoring log-in and log-out schedules, observing the timing of different teams, and helping them coordinate better with each other are making the HR professionals stay on their toes always. Effective online tools are being used to foster communication, collaboration, and measurement of productivity.

Improving employee engagement
Working from home is not always as pleasing as it seems. While the employees are considered safer at home, they may suffer from loneliness, boredom, depression, or other mental health issues over time. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the HR professionals are brainstorming ideas to prevent such issues from hampering productivity. They are constantly finding ways to motivate and encourage the workforce and keep them engaged. And this is turning out to be challenging, as the remote working timeline is increasing day by day. Online games, group discussions, and unexpected breaks from work help improve the situation by making the employees know that the company values their efforts.

Focusing on employee health and wellness
A lot of people are facing stress and anxiety because of the uncertainties, economic slowdown, and lifestyle changes that have happened because of COVID-19. HR teams need to now put dedicated effort and focus in ensuring the wellness and mental health of the employees. They need to revise their policies and wellness programs to address the changing needs of the newly-remote team. These programs need to help the employees improve their well-being and stay healthy while working remotely.

Wrapping it up
With the pandemic situation getting better, it won’t be long before business operations are normalized, and the best way to cope with the current crisis is to take one step at a time. If you’re an HR professional, you should jot down your problems and discuss the same with the employer to help find the right solutions. It’s unwise to try to solve everything by yourself, as this is the time to stick together while being geographically apart.