The COVID-19 pandemic has brought changes upon the workplace that were previously unimaginable. In reaction to this new normal, changes in the workplace are led by HR departments among other changes undertaken by companies.
Challenges are multifaceted and complex, hence requiring great innovation in coming up with solutions that are both forward-thinking and workable.
Here are six significant challenges that HR professionals should find their way through in this post-COVID world.
- Remote Work and Hybrid Models
Perhaps one of the deeper changes the pandemic has brought about is the seismic shift in remote work. As per a survey by McKinsey, nearly 60% of employees are able to work at least part-time from home. While that comes with tremendous benefits to work-life balance, it’s an enormous challenge to HR.
It’s hard to manage team cohesiveness and company culture if workers are dispersed at different places. HR has to come up with alternative ways of creating teamwork and ensure that the home-based employees also feel part of the working place and valued. This can be through virtual activities in the teams or through technology, where communication occurs. Also, HR has to define remote work policies, which create uniformity and clarity.
- Employee Well-being and Mental Health
The COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on mental health, with studies showing that the rate of anxiety and depression has increased during this period. In fact, a World Health Organization report indicated that the rate of mental health issues has increased by 25 percent globally, a figure reported in the first year into the pandemic.
Therefore, HR departments are now facing unprecedented challenges in employees’ well-being. It is concerned not just about the availability of mental health services but also an open and supportive work environment where employees feel at ease in talking about their mental health needs. Wellness programs, flexible hours, and healthy work-life balance have to be developed.
- Talent Acquisition and Retention
With the businesses coming out of the pandemic, attracting and retaining talent has indeed become much more difficult. Employees are reassessing their career paths for better work conditions and flexibility. According to LinkedIn, 54% of workers reportedly quit their jobs for better opportunities.
HR departments will need a strategic rethinking of the recruitment process to attract this new mindset of the workforce.
This will be more to do with company culture, opportunities for growth, and competitive packages. Another way in which good talent could be retained is through continuous engagement, such as regular feedback, with some kind of career advancement.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
The pandemic also made one shine a spotlight on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. More and more employees are demanding that organizations start prioritizing DEI initiatives. According to McKinsey, companies with diverse teams have a 35% better chance of performing superior to their peers.
Such expectations must be fulfilled by HR professionals in the form of effective DEI strategies. For instance, a diversified hiring pipeline will have to be established along with unconscious bias training of the employees. Such a workplace culture has to be built where the worth and value of every employee are realized. Accountability for DEI efforts can also be ensured through regular monitoring assessments and reporting.
- Changing Technologies
The pandemic saw the advancement of technology at a speed that business operations changed with its advent. Most organizations applied the digital tool for communication, management of projects, and even engaging employees. This makes the HR need to fulfill those requirements and better prepare employees with the proper skills to use these technologies effectively.
According to Gartner, in the next few years, workers’ job requirements will change, and 58% of the employees will be required to acquire new skills. The HR departments must invest in training programs that will equip their employees with such skills, thus embracing a culture of constant learning. Acceptance of technology can better increase the organization’s productivity but prepare organizations for challenges from the future.
- Compliance with Changing Regulations
With the increase in the pandemic, labor laws and regulations have undergone a lot of change as governments implement policy for public health. Therefore, they need to know what is taking place with labor laws in their respective countries, which requires HR professionals to be in the know about these changes and compliance within the organization. Thus, in case of non-compliance, this can evolve into legal issues and financial penalties.
For instance, several countries have introduced new policies related to working from home, safety protocols for employees, and leaves based on COVID-19 disease or vaccination status. An effective HR would ensure to track all such compliance needs and present the same information to staff members.
Conclusion
The present day is indeed difficult to predict, especially while navigating the post-COVID world, for HR teams across various sectors. From operating in different remote work models to reframing the wellness agenda of the employees, from diversifying the workplace to embracing technology-aided changes, future work will be evolved by HR professionals.
This way, by fighting these challenges head-on and being innovative, organizations can emerge stronger than ever. Organizations must seize this chance for growth and transformation in this post-pandemic world. It requires coordination between HR leaders and employees. Companies can build workplaces that not only fulfill today’s demands but also thrive in this changing world with this proactive approach.
