Flexible working arrangements: COVID -19 challenges faced by HRM

Introduction

Considering the current situation over the global Organizations have to adopt flexible work arrangements such as remote working in order to support employees and to continue the businesses. Organizations need to be more creative during these times to make sure the well-being of employees and the continuation the business. That’s where the flexible working arrangements to comes in. Flexible working arrangements should be viewed as a balanced agreement between managers and staff in which the needs of both sides must be assessed. This is not a benefit, but more of a way to increase productivity and efficiency in offices.

COVID-19 challenges faced by HRM

·         Business continuity plans

·         Manage flexible work arrangements

·         Manage employee communication

·         Address employee concerns on workplace policies

·         Implementation of preventive measures

·         Review of current welfare policies

Research has done by CIPD (2020) and identified few flexible working opportunities and barriers.

Opportunities

•  Balancing caring and non-work responsibilities with work
•  Adjusting resourcing and skill deployment
•  Adapting to life’s emergencies
• Motivation

Barriers to overcome

•           How to ‘measure’ work and output during this time
•          Setting up clear expectations for teams
•          Communication with the employees
•          Finding a balance between allowing flexibility and facilitating collaboration

 Following are the few examples for flexible work arrangements

Source: UNICEF (2020)

Flexible working arrangements in global Companies

Impact of the global pandemic flexible work arrangements have implemented by the Organizations such as Cisco, HP, Lenovo and Blackberry. Cisco HR has implemented across Asia and globally, a mandatory work from home policy is in place to protect our employees and in line with local regulations and through that Cisco was able to limit, postponed and suspended travel and gathering and its global events. Key meeting and events have done by virtually not only that Cisco was built the amazing Cisco Webex technology that helps all of us stay connected and productive, while also staying healthy.

                                                                             

Source: YouTube

In the context of Sri Lanka, the government encourages to implement work from home to Organizations where the Organizations implemented the same for possible duties. Even for the Organizations where employees come to work, government has provided guidance how they should operate. Ministry of health and Indigenous medical services state “Management should review policies and practices, such as limiting operations to essential processes and flexible work hours, establish alternate days or extra shifts that reduce the total number of employees in a work place at a given time”.

Conclusion

Pandemic situation has effected globally for Organizations and employees therefor both are facing challenging situation of survival .Organizations have to implement new methods to run their business and protect their employees, therefor it is important to the change their culture adopting Flexible work arraignments. In this situation Organization HR team has the responsibility to implementing new methods according to government rules and regulation, to change the traditional culture to face this crisis situation.

References

Syed. N, (2020) .COVID-19: HR's main challenges revealed [Online] https://www.hcamag.com/us/news/general/covid-19-hrs-main-challenges-revealed/218599  (Accessed 02 May 2020)

CIPD, (2020). Flexible working essentials in the COVID-19 context [Online] https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/flexible-working/essentials-coronavirus-context   (Accessed 02 May 2020)

UNICEF Mongolia, (2020). Guidance for Employers on Flexible Work Arrangements and Other Good Workplace Practices in The Context Of COVID-19 [Online] https://www.unicef.org/mongolia/media/1476/file/Guidance%20for%20Employers%20on%20Flexible%20Work%20Arrangements%20and%20Other%20Good%20Workplace%20Practices%20(COVID-19).pdf (Accessed 02 May 2020)

Teo. D, (2020). COVID-19: What measures are employers taking? [Online]

 https://hrmasia.com/covid-19-what-measures-are-employers-taking/ (Accessed 02 May 2020)

Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services state (2020). Operational Guidelines on Preparedness and Response for Covid-19 Outbreak for Work Settings [Online] https://drive.google.com/file/d/1czWT8Aa-HaciY6o-InyJn_P-HRw6100Y/view  (Accessed 02 May 2020)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_Oi_dvnvdI&list=PLbnMTcZEga8Scgs5h4Pwrp0wmCz32B98&index=9&t=0s&app=desktop