It is no secret that the pandemic has disrupted the way we live. But on a positive note, right from how we work to how we socialize, people have found ways to adapt to the new normal in order to maintain some sense of familiarity in their daily lives.
How we chose to adapt, be agile and respond to threat is a sign of how resilient we are. The same goes for businesses and organizations across the globe. Despite differences in size and output, companies have carefully crafted strategies and realigned their business goals to suit changing markets.
Human Resource teams have been at the centre of these changes. In my opinion, now is a good time as any to push forward and create a digital pathway that molds in with a post-COVID world. The current scenario demands digital dominance. With practically all processes now virtual, these four key areas will undergo a significant revamp.
Talent Acquisition
HR-led digital transformation starts with recruiting and on-boarding processes. The virtual induction is now taking form with new employees being on-boarded seamlessly into the system while also soaking in the company culture. Across industries, the induction process has been fairly smooth with the help of webinars, animated explainer videos, podcasts and interactive video conferences.
Rewards and Recognition
Framing agile rewards and recognition processes will not only allow flexibility to adapt, but also have a positive impact on employee motivation. Companies will benefit by shaping rewards targeted at critical talent and introducing spot rewards for frontline workers. Building a culture that recognizes the heroes of the day will go a long way in also shaping R&R practices post-COVID.
Learning and Development
Re-skilling and up skilling is the need if the hour. Companies which offer virtual learning and development opportunities will be far ahead of the competition when it comes to employee capability building. Strong L&D practices need to include regular learning sessions, opportunities to register for certificate courses and access to programs that focus on resilience, productivity and work-life balance.
Employee Engagement
Reset. Relearn. Rejuvenate. This 3R approach will set a new course for employee engagement in the years to come. The focus on employee engagement is less about workplace activities and more about holistic well-being which includes both physical and mental health.
At the core of it, human beings are wired to adapt and reshuffle their priorities, especially when dealing with a crisis. Whether it’s getting a handle on talent acquisition, incorporating digital learning and development opportunities or re-looking at rewards and recognition programs, HR practices have been drastically re-defined
Over the next couple of weeks, I am keen to dive deeper into each of these four areas and talk about how HR teams and organizations can effectively prepare for the looming digital transformation that is going to reshape how we live, work and learn.
Ruhie Pande 