3 HR Lessons Learned from the Pandemic

A pandemic like COVID will be remembered forever, mostly by the HR industry. HR leaders emerged as heroes and guided their organizations through the most uncertain time in the history of the world. Now, things are returning back to the status quo, and a new responsibility has come back on the shoulders of HR leaders – planning the future of work. HR lessons learned from the pandemic will help them keep business resilient and successful.

COVID-19 has changed your workplace in many ways. HR leaders who will plan for the future with information and lessons learnt from the crisis will be prepared better. 

Here are the 3 most important HR lessons learned from the pandemic.

Lesson #1. Staying Adaptive and Agile 

Businesses who stuck to their principles and waited for the pandemic to end – instead of adapting themselves to principles of the new normal – do not exist anymore. On the other hand, businesses who accepted change and upped their game managed not only to surve, but thrive. 

Step out of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to change.

For HR professionals, the lesson here is to understand the difference between reacting and responding. Agile planning and adaptive behavior allow you to take control of change and stay ready for future contingencies.

Lesson #2. Redefining Employee Engagement

Employers who were early in understanding the importance of employee experience during the pandemic managed to outperform themselves, even during the pandemic. 

Now, they must focus on refreshing the employee experience and find new ways of staying connected. 

HR professionals must make consistent efforts to identify and innovate new ways of engaging employees. Also, Staying ahead of communication barriers, ensuring emotional connection, and consistent encouragement will keep your workforce charged and motivated. For freshers, it will help them blend in fast and hit the ground running. 

Lesson #3. Making Employee Well-Being Your #1 Priority

Almost every employee has faced some kind of emotional trauma due to the pandemic. From the fatalities of the virus to stress due to the workplace, employees went through a lot. Employers who were able to shift from prioritizing work to prioritizing people have generated impactful results.

The lesson for HR professionals here is to destigmatize mental health and focus on employee well-being. Focus on putting an end to bias and favor diversity. Adopt Robust DEI programs that not only helps you in diversity hiring, but also ensures that every employee gets a true sense of belonging. 

Author - Samita Nayak

Samita Nayak is a content writer working at Anteriad. She writes about business, technology, HR, marketing, cryptocurrency, and sales. When not writing, she can usually be found reading a book, watching movies, or spending far too much time with her Golden Retriever.