The Unparalleled Efforts of HR in the Struggle against COVID-19

Companies have been forced to take drastic measures to prevent the spread of the virus amongst their staff, and this has put HR teams under a lot of pressure. From organizing work from home options to laying off employees, HR managers have had to take drastic measures to tackle various aspects of the pandemic

Fremont, CA: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we know it, and it may be a long time before things return to normal. Even then, it is safe to say that the world will not be as it was before. Change has been enforced on every industry and individual. Failure to adapt to these changes will only result in eventual fallout. There is a new normal growing out there, and HR teams play an essential role in establishing this new world order.

Companies have been forced to take drastic measures to prevent the spread of the virus amongst their staff, and this has put HR teams under a lot of pressure. From organizing work from home options to laying off employees, HR managers have had to take drastic measures to tackle various aspects of the pandemic. HR executives have had to take the lead on informing the workforce about COVID-19 and safe practices to follow, and also mitigate the effects the virus can have on employee morale. At the same time, HR professionals have also had to manage and execute a multitude of decisions like mandatory vacations, furloughs, layoffs, and workforce reductions, sick pay policies, travel restrictions, and work-from-home processes. In addition, they also need to keep in mind government policies and decisions such as programs and guidelines outlined in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), business closure regulations, and public safety stay-at-home orders.

[vendor_logo_first]Along with these enforced changes, HR managers also need to uphold corporate policies and procedures that support employees in remaining safe and healthy, including social distancing measures while also trying to keep the business running as naturally as possible. HR teams need to ensure that the human resource information systems and other HR systems uphold changes amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Any legal changes made with respect to time, vacation, and pay will also require making technical changes in the appropriate systems. These changes will also require testing before they can be put into action.

As a result of the rapid spread of coronavirus, HR managers and CFOs have had to put implementation and transformation projects on hold as they try to figure out when businesses and revenue will return to normalcy. Added the lack of clarity, it becomes even more difficult to make business plans. As a result, business leaders are opting for a more cautious approach when it comes to capital expenditure on IT projects, even when an ROI is almost inevitable.

Above all, HR executives must work from the frontline and ensure that workforce health and travel information is collected, processed, and stored legally. Even as governments and business leaders attempt to bring the business world back to normal, HR executives will continue to play a vital role. They need to ensure the continuous monitoring, study, and implementation of national and local regulations, particularly if the current economic situation continues on its current trajectory or governments enact additional regulations or programs.

See also: Top HR Tech Companies