The pandemic has created drastic changes for organizations and HR departments.  Certain aspects of work that were deemed trends or labeled the future of work are now happening and look like they are here to stay.  Let’s examine how HR has changed during the pandemic.

A new era of recruitment has been ushered in with virtual hiring, job fairs, and onboarding.  Many companies already used software for some of their recruiting and onboarding services, the coronavirus pandemic created a bigger need for digitizing these processes. The use of HR technology will continue to increase in 2021.

Organizations will need to show employee appreciation differently and measure engagement to ensure their culture remains intact.  Remote work, pandemic stress, and remote school creates challenges for employers to strike the perfect work life balance.  Employers will need to show their gratitude differently and more often.  Organizations need to prioritize employee engagement.  Now is the time to survey your team and find out what is working and where to improve. 

Compliance and health and safety are overloading HR departments.  When you went into HR, writing policies on washing hands and taking temperatures never crossed your minds but here we are.  HR departments will need to build a strategy to monitor employee safety, labor laws, and guidelines.

Employee wellbeing is a hot topic right now and for good reason.  Many experts say that mental health will be the second pandemic. In 2021, HR leaders are the voice for their workforce demanding that their organizations prioritize health and wellness.

Due to new procedures to keep your workforce safe, whether it be in person or online, training sessions are important and may need to happen more frequently.  A crisis is not the time to forget about professional development.  Re-skilling is more important than ever.  Train to retain your employees.

HR will lead the implementation of D & I initiatives to recruit top talent and improve their organizations’ candidate and employee experience.

HR has remained resilient and will continue to lead their organizations through this crisis.  Their organizations’ response determines if they survive and are prepared in the future.

Additional ASE Resources
Virtual Member Roundtable: One Year Later…How has COVID-19 Changed HR? - Join our April member roundtable as we examine what changes organizations and HR have made to manage their workforce especially during the "new normal" brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. What aspects of HR are likely changed forever?  What successes do you have to celebrate?  Discuss business trends organizations should be aware of as we head into a new era of HR.  Complimentary and exclusive to ASE Members.  Register here.