New normal: How HR strategies have changed post-COVID

The pandemic catalyzed a period of unprecedented change in the way people work. During these surreal times, HR teams everywhere were challenged in new and unexpected ways. As COVID-19 recedes, organizational agility, led by innovative HR strategies, will be required in order to navigate a post-pandemic working world.

• Remote work is here to stay: According to a recent survey by Gartner, 48% of employees will likely work remotely at least part-time after COVID-19, versus 30% before the pandemic. The massive transition to a remote model grants employees the freedom to work wherever they want. But it has also created new challenges, such as maintaining an organization’s unique culture and a spirit of teamwork and collaboration.

HR leaders are successfully transitioning to a remote work model by utilizing customizable technology that seamlessly connects far-flung staffers who share interests and hobbies. This kind of software also makes it possible for HR teams to create online social activities that facilitate additional connections and collaborations.

• Recognition, wherever employees are: The shift to f arrangements that capitalize on the benefits of both remote and office work models can definitely have a positive impact on an organization. However, there is also the risk that employees will increasingly be viewed as cogs in a machine. Are there HR strategies to ensure that every working person is recognized for the unique ideas and contributions they bring?

In a working world that no longer has borders, savvy HR teams are doubling down on using HR tech to recognize and celebrate professional and personal achievements. Another post-COVID approach to showing appreciation is by creating a point system that aligns with a series of tasks that need to be completed. Gamification is a fun way to offer rewards and recognition for a job well done.

• Double down on diversity: McKinsey has found that diverse groups—including women, LGBTQ+ employees, people of color, and working parents—had the most difficult time during the pandemic, both in the workplace and with balancing work and home life. Moving forward, HR strategies need to ensure that an organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is fully realized.

In fact, 62% of job seekers would turn down a job offer if they felt the company did not value an inclusive and diverse workplace culture. If done right, a remote working model can empower HR to hire from a much wider talent pool. The ability to recruit from anywhere makes it easier for HR teams to focus on traditionally underrepresented communities.

• Crystal clear feedback: Another major challenge in the post-pandemic workplace is making sure that staffers’ feedback about their own specific roles, and decisions being made at the departmental and organizational level, is received, evaluated, and acted upon.

As such, companies that are invested in either remote work or hybrid work model are increasingly shifting to an ongoing performance management strategy that provides HR with critical feedback on how to improve an organization’s processes.

This approach involves frequently gathering feedback from a wide range of sources. The overriding goal of such an HR strategy is to boost retention, satisfaction—and, subsequently, performance.

• Trust is a must: The transition to a remote work model caused many decision-makers to worry about whether their people could be trusted to continue producing. Would employees free from the confines of the office be lured away by their kids? Friends? Netflix? Trust is the foundation for a healthy, happy work environment. But with 55% of CEOs fearing that a lack of trust is a threat to their organization’s growth, are there HR strategies that can be implemented to address this issue?

An organizational culture built on trust can be fostered by optimizing communication between all team members. Organizations embracing remote work or hybrid work models are finding success with HR platforms that function as central communications hubs.

The information provided by such platforms makes it possible to improve employee wellbeing by tracking engagement in real-time. And staffers who feel that their questions and concerns are being addressed are much more likely to develop trust with their organizations.

New normal? No problem

Organizations that thrive after the pandemic will be the ones that can adjust to unexpected economic developments or business trends. Implementing the above HR strategies will provide companies with the agility to ride out any storm. Success during the pandemic meant spotting and reacting to challenges as they arose. In the post-COVID working world, future-proofing an organization starts with learning which HR strategies worked and didn’t during the pandemic.

Adi Janowitz  is VP of Customer Success at Hibob. Adi has vast experience in building and leading Customer Success organizations in SaaS companies.  In her recent role, she re-built the EMEA CS department at WalkMe. Prior to that, she built the Idomoo global CS org from the ground up. Adi’s focus is on boosting retention by building a scalable KPI-driven CS organization while creating KPI coherency for the entire company.