While the COVID-19 impact can be felt by organisations across sectors, 72% of the organisations feel that its impact will be felt beyond six months, according to an EY survey titled ‘HR resilience planning — COVID-19 impact and preparedness.’
About 70% of the organisations believe that the single biggest concern for continued remote working is fall in productivity. The crisis is also forcing organisations to re-look at the HR processes and operations through a digital lens.
More than 70% of the organisations are now moving to virtual methods of recruitment, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, robotic process automation and machine learning are leading this change.
Anurag Malik, partner and India workforce advisory leader, people advisory services, EY India, said, “Today, organisations are grappling with an unprecedented crisis that is fundamentally different from what they have ever experienced. In this hour of crisis, the HR function has to be a that of a business partner in anticipating change, co-creating a range of scenarios and planning for the future. It is also the right time for the HR heads to recalibrate their priorities, focus towards managing remote workforce, digitalise the HR function, and re-imagine workforce models.”
The survey incorporates first-hand perspective of HR heads/CHROs of over 100 organisations across sectors in India on the impact of COVID-19 and their preparedness to tackle the current situation.
Gopal Nagpaul, partner, workforce advisory (Africa, India and Middle East), people advisory services, EY India, added, “Initial priorities of IT infrastructure, basic communication and operations support are now fading into the background as new priorities emerge. Going forward, we need to focus on sustaining productivity in the context of remote working and shutdowns, ensuring the well-being and engagement in the case of sustained remote working, and building cost-management options in case we face a deeper economic downturn.”
About 87% of the respondents currently have travel restrictions in place in addition to the mandated ones. At this time of crisis, organisations must adopt to the changing ways of working, and invest in the right IT infrastructure and build in structured mechanisms to institutionalise remote working.
Organisations that were not accustomed to virtual working have faced the heat and have had to mobilise IT infrastructure and set up data security protocols at a very short notice.
According to the survey, ensuring workforce productivity while working remotely is a concern area. “Organisations will need to focus on building work alignment and work control through a structured work allocation and communication protocol. Providing meaningful work to employees, increased focus on business improvement and transformation initiatives, and e-learning and certifications can be explored in this time of crisis,” added Mr. Nagpaul.
An important dimension that organisations will have to consider is the psychological impact of the crisis on their employees. While some organisations have started virtual yoga and psychological counselling sessions, a holistic approach to employee wellness will be imperative.
“Going forward, the opportunities for organisations lie in institutionalising digital ways of working, rethinking workforce models and resource plans, revamping traditional employee engagement models and techniques, redesigning the performance management process and restructuring benefits and policies, added Mr. Malik.
Talent acquisition
As the current crisis has changed the way of working, there will be a cascading impact on the different HR processes as well. Most organisations agreed that in the near term, one of the most impacted processes will be talent acquisition.
