THE NEW TREND OF WORK FROM HOME AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ADAPTATION

 


( Working from Home Image,  Source: Forbes) 


The Trend of Work from Home

The covid pandemic impacted globally to every business unit has changed and altered the operational system of organizations worldwide. Most countries locked down the cities to control the spreading of the virus and organizations had no other choice but to shift to flexible working arrangements.

This was a paradigm shift for Human Resource Management as employees needed to be briefed on the new working methods, arrange flexible working hours, availability of technical equipment and online facilities while finding ways and means to keep the employees engaged and on track.

“In response to the outbreak of the crisis, work patterns changed and the WFH model grew rapidly (Zou et al., 2020b).”

According to the employers’ guide on working from home in response to the outbreak of COVID-19 published in the year 2020 by the International Labor Organization (ILO) working from home “is a working arrangement in which a worker fulfills the essential responsibilities of his/her job while remaining at home, using information and communications technology (ICT)”.

What Changed?

The work from home method requires employees to learn a new set of skills with virtual communication and digital skills. Since all the work is carried out through a desktop or a laptop, coordination via online planned and unplanned virtual meetings are necessary and additionally the employee’s attention should be paid to confidentially of official data to prevent leakages.  The Human Resource Management units of the organization need to address this via necessary training and developments.

Also, Human Resource Management should adopt new methods of employee engagement as employees may get frustrated due to work stress as employees lack face to face communication with colleagues. Lack of communication with the other employees may result in difficulties in work, issue solving, timely submitting of work and impact the performance of the employee. It will also demotivate the employees.

Working online also impact the work life balance of an employee. An Organization may engage with the employees throughout the day with no time boundaries can cause issues in balancing the work life and normal life of the employee.  This may result low performance.

How Human Resource Management can play a big role?

  •  Assess the jobs that can be carried out through work from home basis – This includes assessing the infrastructure, facilities and tools available, assessing the worker’s situation in terms of safety and health in his/her domestic environment and actual ability to carry out the tasks required at home, consider the potential impact of the worker’s living arrangements.
  • Employee Engagement – with the working from the home method, employee engagement has been a challenge for Human Resource Management. According to Gallup, high levels of workplace engagement often led to higher performance—ultimately driving an aligned, thriving, and purpose-driven culture among employees of a company. With the working from the home method,      many employees may feel less engaged with their co-workers and detached from the work and the culture of the organization. HRM need to step and introduce engagement tactics like online discussions, forums, talent shows etc to keep the employees engaged.
  • Job Performances - Performances also may affect due to work from the home method as employees have to struggle with their home front challenges as well as work front challenges. Also, with remote work, activities of the employees are less monitored to the HR departments. Therefore, systems needed to be implemented to monitor the given tasks of the employees, performance on activities and working hours and attached monitory benefits system for completed tasks or increased performance to encourage employees.
  • Communication – Constant communication with your employees is a must in remote working operations. HR department needs to communication more information about the current situation of the country, company and etc other than the information related to employees work to keep the employees updated on every situation and to get necessary support when needed.  Also, the HR department should ensure that the employees are well connected with their managers to give them necessary hand in help of work and also to appreciate the work of the employees to keep them motivated.

References:

Pacific Oaks Collage,2021 https://www.pacificoaks.edu/voices/business/how-is-remote-work-changing-the-world-of-human-resources/

An employers’ guide on working from home in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, International Labour Organization, 2020

https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236927/employee-engagement-drives-growth.aspx

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.710517/full#ref49

Zou, P., Huo, D., and Li, M. (2020b). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on firms: a survey in Guangdong Province, China. Glob. Health Res. Policy 5:41. doi: 10.1186/s41256-020-00166-z

Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 27, 2022 at 4:56 AM

    This really practical study considering present situation. Grate job

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sachini GamageApril 27, 2022 at 9:52 AM

    You have nicely describe the role in HRM in a work from home satiation. Nice piece of writing.. Good Luck!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amila PereraApril 30, 2022 at 2:48 AM

    Nicely written article.You have clearly identified and explained the challenges facing by the human resource managers with the present new normal working condition arise with the Covid-19 pandemic. As you mentioned Human Resource Management has to play a vital role in managing the peoples with a grate efforts in this new working environment. All the best.

    ReplyDelete

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