Adapting in a Time of Change

Human Resource Provides Leadership

It’s not a stretch to say that the Coronavirus has affected every aspect of our lives, including the way businesses operate. The employee-to-manager and manager-to-human resources relationships are aspects that are affected by the pandemic. Adapting communication is integral to solidifying an employee’s trust in their employer. With nearly six months of communication behind us, we can begin to find some of the key takeaways that will continue to influence these relationships going forward.

Empathy is Key

We are all facing challenging times right now. Working from home can come with its own set of issues, including childcare, virtual schooling, staying motivated, and technology struggles. While, for many, remote working is nothing new, the majority of the workforce are facing the same issues. Knowing this makes good quality and regular communication between managers and supervisors even more beneficial. It is important (and much easier) to remember that we are all in this together. The quality of the conversations matter as much as the frequency. Managers should empathize when things may not be going as planned, because the next time, the shoe may be on the other foot, and the manager may be faced with a less-than-ideal situation. While the job responsibilities of managers and human resources often focus on the analytical, especially where data and documentation are concerned, don’t forget the human factor. True interaction matters, even from afar.

Be Adaptable

COVID-19 made rapid changes to the world’s culture as we adapt to being together separately. While virtual meeting platforms have become the standard, that does not mean that everyone caught on as quickly. While most employees are tech-savvy, others may not be. In those cases, it is imperative to provide or recommend training for both managers and employees on the ins and outs of virtual meetings and remote management. A recent study conducted by HR.com Research Institute and sponsored by LightWork® Software published findings that included the actions, characteristics, and values of leading and successful organizations during the pandemic. One of those actions/characteristics was the organization’s ability to adapt. Also discovered in the research was many managers do not have the skills to manage remote employees.

Have Compassion

Included in the findings of “The State of Performance Management 2020” was that 85% of the human resources professionals surveyed reported the COVID-19 crisis has somehow changed performance management in their organization. Furthermore, they disclosed that external stresses have an impact on an employee’s performance. In fact, 40% of the performance conversations now involve the health and well-being of the employee rather than just performance. Another 40% report performance goals have adapted to new circumstances.

Welcome heart-to-heart conversations with employees. Being open with employees allows for improved conversations and relationships between managers and employees. For the time being, and perhaps if and when the new flexible workplace becomes the norm, casual conversations in the office around the coffee pot need to be replaced with other ways to connect and get to know each other.

Having open communication between employees and managers, and managers and human resources has never been easier. Technology solutions open the door to a robust way to improve communication, improving employee engagement and performance that leads to achieving corporate goals. Performance management software enables effective employee data documentation and management.

LightWork Performance Management facilitates those conversations between managers and reports to establish goals and objectives, and it allows for the tracking of milestones and accomplishments. Another HR resource is LightWork People Management. It provides HR professionals the ability to house and manage critical employee data while meeting and exceeding organizational data and reporting requirements. It houses of all employee data in one easy-to-manage location. Decision making is painless with organized data. Reports are consistent and provide up-to-date quality information allowing HR to bring impressive contributions and value to the success of the organization. To be among the leading organizations that adapt in difficult times, learn more about LightWork Software.