How HR Professionals are Managing Workforce During Pandemic?

Coronavirus pandemic has brought our old good friend – Work from Home- into high priority. But there are still several essential employees working on-site doing their jobs. This has caused a huge challenge for the HR professionals and are expected to think differently as the firms adjust social (physical) distancing practices and develop a new working culture.

As face-to-face meetings and regular checks have been replaced by emails and videoconferencing, it has become very difficult for HR managers to do their job effectively. Not only HR and the company have to look after the employee health and well-being during these tough times, they also have to look into salary matters of their employees. For employees still in the fields, HR managers have to make sure the team is safe, motivated and productive – all to make sure the industries are back profitable again.

Here we shall discuss on a few strategies HR managers are implementing for effective managing.

1. Develop employee-support solutions: With currently less demand pull, the company can afford to go easy on the employees. The workforce is divided into teams that work alternatively. The companies are even doing the grocery shopping for some of their employees.
2. Recognize and not Reward: The company has shifted to recognition to display the admirable work done by employees rather than reward. They realized that there is nothing more rewarding than self-health for the person. Hence rather than giving incentives, they are pushing the reward system to recognition based.
3. Ensure equitable safety standards: Health of the employees is constantly monitored by taking regular temperatures and implementing government norms of 1.5 mt distancing. Moreover, it is thoroughly checked that the Aarogya Setu app is installed in their smartphones.
4. Regular Communication: Regular meetings are held to make sure that work is in place. Performance meters are developed where it is important to mention after signing off what part of the total work has been done at the end of the day. It helps to look at continuous checks and measures.
5. Preparing for worst: The companies are keeping active measures and making sure if any of their employees go Corona positive, all the precautions are taken in place starting with separating him for other employees. Confidentiality is maintained on the part of company and employee is taken care of in every aspect possible.

The HR manager quotes “Employees are the fuel of the organization. We consider every employee as a part of our big family”. Sure, the situation is very challenging for all of us but the industry will make sure to take care of employees.