As the pandemic resets major work trends, HR leaders need to rethink workforce and employee planning, management, performance, and experience strategies. It’s critical for business leaders to understand that large-scale shifts are changing how people work and how business gets done, HR leaders who respond effectively can ensure their organizations stand out from competitors.
A recent Gartner poll showed that 48% of employees will likely work remotely at least part of the time after COVID-19 versus 30% before the pandemic. As organizations shift to more remote work operations, explore the critical competencies employees will need to collaborate digitally, and be prepared to adjust employee experience strategies. Consider whether and how to shift performance goal-setting and employee evaluations for a remote context.
Gartner’s analysis shows that organizations will continue to expand their use of contingent workers to maintain more flexibility in workforce management post-COVID-19, and will consider introducing other job models they have seen during the pandemic, such as talent sharing and 80% pay for 80% work. To build the workforce you’ll need post-pandemic, focus less on roles — which group unrelated skills — than on the skills needed to drive the organization’s competitive advantage and the workflows that fuel that advantage.
As the pandemic subsides, there will be a similar acceleration of M&A and nationalization of companies. Companies will focus on expanding their geographic diversification and investment in secondary markets to mitigate and manage risk in times of disruption. This rise in the complexity of size and organizational management will create challenges for leaders as operating models evolve. In such a scenario we bring forth some of the leaders in the HR arena who are trying to navigate this pandemic in the most innovative manner.