HR Leaders Must Step Up

It’s Time for HR Leaders to Step Up and Lead the Reopening of India’s Economy

In India, economic activity will slowly but surely resume, which means employees will be coming back to work. That is if employers and HR leaders use this opportunity to carefully plan for the safest workplace possible. It all comes down to planning for the right physical layout, setting the rules for employee interaction, and easing psychological tension. This means following compliance perfectly, offering the right benefits, and using new tools to stay productive.

Now, developing effective plans for employees can be challenging, but it’s also an opportunity for growth. Especially when it comes to company culture; it’s an opportunity for reinvention of an organization. It’s time to show employees how much you care about them.

Providing a safe work environment in terms of following guidelines concerning coronavirus prevention is only a part of the job. If HR leaders don’t step up and set the tone for safe and healthy working conditions, they won’t have any employees to manage. Businesses will be quick to shut down if case rates increase — even if just a few employees test positive.

Employee Safety is the Main Priority

There’s no doubt about this one. The main priority of coming back to work is protecting your employees. This means following workplace guidelines, providing face masks, sanitizers as well as other hygiene products, and more. The bigger your effort, the more confident your employees will be about coming back to work. Setting up an SOS line that provides professional help when they need it is a good idea, not to mention providing other health benefits.

These are some of the rules pulled from the official guidelines. You should review these, alongside the other details in the MHA document.

• Employees should keep a distance of at least 6 feet from one another.
• Meetings of 10 people or more won’t take place.
• Lunch breaks must be staggered so big gatherings are avoided.
• Employees will work in shifts, with an hour gap between them.
• No more than 2 or 4 people should use the lift and the use of staircases is encouraged.
• Non-essential visitors are not allowed.
• Vehicles must be arranged for staff that depend on public transportation, which must work with up to 40% passenger capacity, no more.
• Face masks must be provided to all.
• Adequate hand sanitizers must be available.
• Thermal screening is mandatory.
• There must be a list of COVID-19 hospitals nearby at work at all times.

Employee Communication Is Key

HR leaders must communicate with employees and hear their concerns. This won’t only help you plan for a better environment for them, it will help you understand where they’re coming from. Giving employees the chance to communicate will show them that you care about their concerns enough to hear them out and do the best you can to address them. How productive your employees can be during this pandemic also depends on their state of mind. Make sure you provide tools for communication and support.

Use Technology to Your Advantage

Not all employees will be coming back to work; those with children under 5 years old and those who are 65 years old or older will still be staying home. That doesn’t mean they can’t work from home, especially now that there are so many tools available to make this happen. Embracing remote working and educating your employees about it and the tools that enable it is key if you want your business to thrive. The key to this approach is using technology in a way that’s comfortable for employees and provide the support they need.

Your business has an opportunity for reinvention and workplace culture can benefit greatly from this. As the Indian economy resumes, HR leaders have the greatest responsibility on their shoulders. Thriving in such an uncertain environment is a challenge, but it can be done, especially if we work alongside employees to empathize, support, and understand how we can elevate together.