5 COVID-19 employee experience trends to continue in 2021

Coronavirus brought such a lot of disturbance and changes to our way of life that we’ll all be happy to see the rear of it. In any case, it’s hard to deny it carried some certain progressions to working life. From bosses receiving more open perspectives towards adaptable working to far and wide computerized change, numerous associations needed to fundamentally rethink workspaces, with HR pushed into the spotlight to assist organizations with navigating their employees, operational changes, and communication procedures every step of the way.

One part of HR’s boosted import was the employee experience, with most HR pioneers intend to focus on the Employee experience more exceptionally now than before the Pandemic hit. The Employee experience is approximately characterized as all the touchpoints an employee has with their boss, which incorporates each one of those regular minutes, for example, asking for a leave, finding data and the innovation/technology experience. A positive Employee experience implies happy employees, and happy employees are more engaged with their work, have higher job/position fulfillment, and are more efficient overall, Basically all the factors that have a positive impact on the business.

During COVID-19, its significance was given a boost, as employees inclined toward their bosses like never before to address their essential necessities of wellbeing, financial stability, and security. In any case, post-COVID-19, most Employee experience needs are advancing, with 2021 introducing an important chance for organizations to reconsider this imperative part of HR. We will distinguish five Employee experience patterns driven by COVID-19 that all HR chiefs should take forward into 2021.

 

Flexible Work Ethic

Coronavirus has without a doubt expanded the craving for remote/hybrid working. Employees who have a decision in when, where, and how they work to have more elevated levels of fulfillment, advancement, and job performance, which clarifies why almost half of employees will probably work distantly probably a portion of the time after COVID-19. 

Thorough research and social trends have discovered that employees working remotely see more beneficial outcomes on their everyday work are more drawn in, and have a more grounded feeling of well-being than those in non-remote positions with little adaptability do. So unmistakably organizations with flexible and remote working strategies set up will be most competitive with regards to pulling in and holding top talent in the job market.

 

Health and Wellbeing priority

Covid-19 negatively and heavily affected the public’s psychological well-being. Bosses had an all-inclusive obligation of care as the lines between work and home life were obscured, and emotional well-being turned into a need as employees experienced sensations of seldomness, work instability, and adjusting work and childcare obligations. It is reported that over 80% of associations took advanced actions with Employee Assistance Programs and online psychological well-being services and sessions for their employees during the pandemic. 

Focusing on wellbeing and safety in 2021 will keep on being just as significant. Companies should consider employee wellbeing comprehensively, consolidating the vital foundations of engagement, healthy eating, work out, and Employee Assistance Programs.

 

Vast Digital Transformation

Innovation and technology can heavily affect the Employee experience, yet an absence of sufficient work environment technology and systems is a recurring theme many employees have to face. As per a Deloitte report, just 38% of employees said they were fulfilled or exceptionally happy with business-related devices and innovation, which is a significant blow considering the tools available to us. 

During COVID-19, then again, digital transformation plans that once required a long time to execute happened in months and, at times, weeks and even days. 

This pattern has likewise seen HR and IT work in joint association to decide the best sorts of employee technology. The blast of communication channels and joint collaboration software like Slack has demonstrated the case for the more noteworthy implementation of such channels.

 

Key Feedback from Employees

All through COVID-19, businesses put forth a positive attempt to consistently check in with their employees while working in a dispersed work system. One method of doing this was through surveys to measure employee notion and gain much-needed feedback on better approaches for working – to check what worked, what didn’t work, and which work practices could proceed with post-COVID-19. 

As HR leaders see the advantages of continuous manager/employee communication, with most the HR leaders concurring that co-worker and employee criticism and feedback is key for positive results.

 

Data-Driven Approach

Similar to the point above, key indexes and data were behind a considerable amount of decisions being made around the Employee experience, with employees ready to give their honest opinion and feedback on areas that were and weren’t working for them. Similarly, as during COVID-19, bosses will want the capacity to understand and incorporate Employee experience data points, adhering to a few key Employee experience specific result metrics that can be effectively imparted and perceived – at all levels of the association – to pass on how employee side of the business is doing.

Boosting employee engagement in a hybrid workforce with the help of advanced digital tools such as the complete HR management of PeopleSonic is the modern way to go! Such software allows you to work with your employees and focus more on their engagement and productivity whereas the automated functionality does the rest for you. Keeping employees engaged with an online learning curve will not only help the development of related skills but ease their workload, which are all signs of a healthy workspace and engaged employee!

The Top 5 HR Skills To Rebuild Your Organization After The Pandemic

As the pandemic and lockdown around the globe draw to hold, we are finally able to see some clarity into the post-pandemic life. Business owners and HR leaders look forward to adapting themselves and their employees from recovery and onto the work field. Most firms are rebuilding from the ground up whereas others shifted to a platform to keep things running. The management and owners of such businesses now rely on hard work and determination to bring their organizations to the previous standings, yet individual talents in this regard cannot be overlooked.

Utilizing the pre-covid format and skillsets in the post-pandemic world will definitely prove to be a hassle. HR leaders and Firms are in the race to upload versatile minds and workers into their newly planned systems. Making a higher demand for skilled, capable and tactical minds in this new revolution to uprise businesses. With the current workforce, however, a few key changes are due to be implemented to tackle this change. Here are the top 5 HR skills your organization needs to rebuild itself.

Agility: 

Improvise, adapt, and overcome, the key pointers associated with survival which perfectly tie in with the current struggles of upholding a business during a pandemic. Being ready to be agile to whatever the world throws at you, gives you a significant advantage in the business world. Business owners and management should look into being agile when it comes to recovering from the pandemic as well as shifting from platform to platform. Having certain HR tools such as PeopleSonic at your disposal allows HR leaders to make an educated workforce and future planning decisions.

Change Management/Communication: 

Being agile to change is one thing, and managing throughout the change transition period is another. Both are vital and go hand in hand during such recovery periods. The management should be at the forefront of change, leading and planing from the frontline to accommodate their workers’ mobility throughout the process. Communication is the pivot that determines the pace and effectiveness of the procedure. Keeping employees aware of strategical and tactical changes will allow for a clean shift in gear. Thorough and detailed briefs followed by constant updates through a well-communicated medium will surely keep the bearings turning smoothly.

Managing wellbeing/safety: 

Your employees and the environment that surrounds them are key components in the success of a company. Many wrongly believe that intense work practices and having a constantly pressurized environment keep employees on their feet. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as they are the entire driving force of an organization so ultimately keeping their wellbeing and psychological safety in check is a priority. Post pandemic concerns are definitely not off the table yet as lingering viruses are still present, so constructing a healthy ambiance is necessary.

Strategic Workforce Planning: 

Workforce and planning without a strategy in play that too during a recovery/building phase is an obtuse decision. Having a set tactical plan set for the future is imperative. Strategic Workforce Planning covers employee experiences, development of roles, succession planning, and scenario strategies. Being prepared for different obstacles and crisis are condemnable, but planning to prevent such events from happening are far superior. Businesses that opt for such an approach are known to have a strong HR approach while grasping every opportunity given.

Compliance: 

Tackling the typical HR tasks during a pandemic proved to be strenuous, with constant evolvements and law changes, the constant updates did not help the situation. Therefore using and ultimately shifting to HR Software is the move for the post-pandemic agenda. Allowing for such tools to relieve time by handling tasks such as payroll, performance management, time management, and the core HR functionality is the goal. HR teams need to be compliant, whilst maintaining their time management will dedicate and open up further growth possibilities.

 

How brands, businesses, and organizations tackle the recovery period will ultimately define and streamline their efforts in achieving success. Therefore being compliant and orchestrating changes are the signs of a competent HR leader, who develops their own skills and aids the workforce to thrive.

5 Emerging HR Trends in 2021

2020 is undoubtedly a year we won’t be forgetting soon. The world itself was left dismantled due to the spread of Covid-19. Crumbling many businesses to their downfall and shaking up our entire perspective on the way we live our lives, study, and work. As we carry on into 2021 with new hopes, we can’t render the work status from 2020 useless. The post-Covid gameplan will surely reflect our future trends.

Although many trends arise each year and many are still in rapid growth, here’s an insight into the 5 emerging HR trends in 2021.

Digital Tracking and Automation:
As we move into a digital-oriented workplace, managing and sustaining such workplaces may prove to be a hassle without proper software implementation. As with much of 2020, workplaces have modeled their employees to work from home. Though this provides workers with a more relaxed environment in some cases, keeping track of said employees may prove to be difficult. With spaced out teams working together virtually, tracking their progress is just as important. Automating minute tasks such as attendance, auto-syncing, and seamless data transfer will prove to be fruitful for efficient working.

A variety of software and online tools provide adequate service, but only a few encapsulate the entire theme of HR Management such as PeopleSonic.

Hybrid Workplaces and Their Culture
With work from home becoming the new norm in the passing year, some are truly struggling with managing all from one space in their home. Whereas others are striving in the more relaxed and casual workspace created at home. There’s no doubt the pandemic has caused many issues with working at home, especially during long terms of isolation with kids or family bustling about. However, this seems to be the way of life for at least a few more months, until there is more clarity to this pandemic.

Designated workspaces at home are therefore being defined but to a more professional approach. Many establishments offer, shared co-working spaces and multi-use offices for those who need them, following covid-19 precautions of course.  

Performance Management
As established before, handling employee data and performances virtually is a task in itself. Achieving and handling KPI’s is key throughout the organization’s run. In the coming years, we are bound to see a great improvement in virtual management as a whole. Currently setting specific targets via software and implementing that into the system has resulted in brands going fully digital. The ability to have customized reports, detailed analytics, and data displayed in an automated fashion show how far we’ve already come.

There’s room for improvement, with faster speeds and completely reliable figures over the horizon, Performance management is something business should proactively look into.

HR In the driver’s seat
The HR department in any given organization is vastly important in linking the employees to the management and higher hierarchy. The department is known to be at the frontline of customer and employee concerns, the ability to keep a straight head and guide others to what’s best for both parties takes immense skill and effort. The current Covid-19 pandemic has taken everything to an even more intense level. Employees are constantly worried about their wellbeing and juggling their work from home amongst family and young children can become daunting. Similarly, the managers are equally worried as there is uncertainty regarding communications and maintaining company values. 

Being at the core of such an intense situation requires extreme dedication and hefty responsibility. Therefore staying firmly in the driving seat is necessary for the department to drive them through 2021.

Virtual Team
Conferencing and collaborating with co-workers virtually is the new norm for the upcoming years. With the steady and progressive growth of globalization due to the vast majority of social media, it creates an exciting new opportunity for global partners and employees. This adds more depth and new input into the system which may allow for your team to strive! Such interactions are very easily maintained via a variety of online tools. Since we are already working from home, this virtual team management isn’t tedious, especially if you’re familiar with the tools available. Managing time with global teams for meet-ups might be a little tricky, but nothing that can’t be overcome.

Though the virus has separated us physically, we are still able to connect with those who matter and maybe 2021 is the year we excel in it!

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