Tracing Changes in Work Landscape Post Covid-19

Noida, India - Aug 27th, 2020 - The role of HR has to be redefined from Hiring & Recruitment and Appraisals to New Working Models, Performance-Centric Compensation Restructuring, Managing Cost Optimization and Reduction exercises without damaging employer branding.

Mr. Shayam Verma, CHRO, at JK Tech expresses his thoughts on how the business and work landscape will change post-Covid-19.

The novel Coronavirus has developed a tense atmosphere among businesses. Employees’ concern is much more related to job stability as many witness job losses, salary cuts, salary delays, etc as the gap widens to safeguard employee rights with compassion and empathy. Sectors like hospitality, travel & tourism, etc have been adversely hit by the pandemic. On the other hand, many companies in the pharma, digital media, e-learning, IT firms, FMCG have adapted well to the situation and are hiring employees even during these uncertain times. Undisputedly, Human Resources are the backbone of any organisation amid good or bad as no business can excel without thriving employees. It’s the moral duty of an organisation to serve its employees with the utmost care and quality benefits.

Companies are outlining new strategies to serve their employees during and post Covid-19. Various initiatives like medical cover, WFH, cloud support, collaboration tools, etc are the highlighted changes that can be expected in the post-Covid work environment. The reason many companies, especially in the IT sector, were able to manage and grow during this time was because of the inclusion of technology in their operations; making adoption of work from home a comparatively easier process. Focusing on this, other sectors are shifting their businesses on digital channels to ensure 24/7 visibility and easy digital operations facility. One has easy access to its team, partners, customers, prospects, etc, while operating from home through collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams, Skype, Cisco Webex, Google Meet, and other online tools.

As we experience this shift towards the “New Normal”, companies too are now considering WFH adoption post lockdown to support their employees. The adoption will be equally beneficial to the employers as it will be to the employees, where employers or organisations would help in reducing the administrative and associated operational expenses while on the other hand, it would save the commuting time and expenses, both for employees.

Apart from work deliverables, the mental health of employees will be another key factor determining job preferences. Covid-19 is undoubtedly a stressful situation for businesses and employees across the world, but certain lessons can definitely be learned from the experience. Hence, an organisation has to maintain a conducive atmosphere in the office, while ensuring job safety and ample availability of the resources for its employees. Even before Covid-19, companies had started planning certain activities to regulate their employees’ health like daily physical activities, employee appreciation gatherings, mental growth tasks, etc for the betterment of their employees.

Some of the key changes one can witness in working environment post-Covid-19 are:

  • Emerging technologies like chatbots and the RPA will thrive in the HR Department;
  • Ensuring employees' mental health will be the topmost priority;
  • A mechanism of feedback and hourly reporting;
  • Virtual activities to promote productivity and upskilling;
  • Less interaction and more automation;
  • Touchless equipment will become the new normal.

Employees are the most vital asset of every organisation. Attracting and retaining the right talent are some of the key management practices, which contribute to the success of any organisation. It takes a long time to build the employer brand. Every HR measure should be carefully thought out and analysed through three aspects – the employee, the cost-benefit and the legal. The role of HR has to be redefined from Hiring & Recruitment and Appraisals to New Working Models, Performance-Centric Compensation Restructuring, Managing Cost Optimization and Reduction exercises without damaging employer branding while playing a decisive role in the long term survival of a business.

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