What HR Policies Need to Be Updated Post-Pandemic
Let’s take a moment and send lots of healing energy to anyone who serves as a Human Resources (HR) professional. Y’all, it’s been a hard year for this group. No matter what training or certification one HR professional might have, nothing could have fully prepared us for the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid movement to a changing workplace. HR professionals, which includes people who may manage HR as one of many responsibilities, have been making critical, life-changing decisions for employees for 15 months. And the change continues.
As some groups welcome back employees and/or customers and/or the public back into their working spaces, business leaders are facing uncertain decisions on how to protect employees and re-open safely. This is not a “one size fits all” situation. Employees fall on a spectrum of health needs and vaccination levels, which impacts interactions with customers and the public. First, I would encourage all business leaders to gather employee feedback right now on:
· What has worked in the last 15 months?
· What hasn’t worked?
· What could be changed for the better?
· What could prepare us for the next time this happens?
Think of this time like a crisis response debrief; it’s just been an extended crisis. Reflection is looking back and looking inward, and it is so, SO important.
Once you complete a thorough debrief with all of your stakeholders (think external and internal), then you are ready to start updating your HR strategies and policies. Second, you need to revisit your strategy before you update your policies. What is your strategy for recruiting and retaining people? Is that strategy still relevant in the post-pandemic environment? What structural changes may be needed to adjust to this new environment? These are all questions to consider and discuss.
Third, conduct a thorough review of your current HR policies and which may have shifted in the last 15 months. I’m assuming that few businesses have had time to update their policies with this ever-changing environment. Some policies that may need review are:
· Flexible work arrangements
· Shift changes and/or office hours
· Office perks missed out for those who choose to work from home (Ex. Free coffee or lunch)
· Paid time off, including sick leave
· Accommodations and FMLA for illnesses like COVID-19
· Remote work expenses, like technology
· Health and safety protocols in workspaces
· Privacy and information security
Something to keep in mind while looking at these policies. Autonomy and flexibility are becoming key motivators for employees, as noted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Autonomy is defined as the ability to make decisions that impact your work and team. Flexibility is about having multiple paths to get work completed that complement the organization’s needs with your own. This is another opportunity to use your strategic chops. How can you design a work environment that supports increasing autonomy and flexibility? The ‘Great Resignation’ is happening right now partly because people know that a different working environment is possible.
Finally, HR professionals and decision makers need to continually recognize and dismantle systemic biases. A newer bias that’s emerging more now is proximity bias. The HR Conversationalist Shereen Daniels notes that those in the office, where the leaders may be working, can have better access to leaders than those who work from home. This may create unconscious bias when measuring performance and ability to advance. Another bias to consider is pay equity. A distributed workforce may prompt an organization to use nationwide salary benchmarks rather than local rates to recruit and retain employees. You can read more of my thoughts and approach to pay equity here. While that blog post focuses on nonprofits, the same holds true for all businesses. Pay is a linchpin for structural change.
Have I overwhelmed you yet? I hope not. If so, then take a breath and say this mantra over and over, “I am capable in this moment.” And if you are looking to spread some love, then buy a cup of coffee for your favorite HR professional. They need it. Or maybe they need you to cut the internet at their house for a few hours, so they can rest. Who knows? Whatever it is, please do it. Your favorite HR professional needs positivity, patience, and love right now.
P.S. Loftis Partners can help you with these strategy conversations and general HR help. Email Sally Loftis today for a free 30-minute phone discussion about your situation (sally@loftispartners.com).