Being in the #HR role for 20 years now, I could clearly see how #Covid has influenced the #HRTrends drastically. So, with this article, I am hoping to share my experiential insights on the approach to handling the paradigm shift in the #HumanResources arena. We all need to create a #workplace that we have not experienced ourselves, and so we need to be anticipative of the changing #EmployeePerspectives and get imaginative about how we can be the Employer of Choice.

What happens when the #EmployeeAttrition rate skyrockets in an organization? The pulse rate of the #HRDepartment follows the trajectory...

Challenges are expected in every business and in every #jobrole. #Recruiting the #RightTalent, increasing #EmployeeRetention, ensuring #HealthandSafety, and addressing #DisciplinaryIssues have always been some of the many challenges an HR department is responsible for overcoming. We all know that the role of a Human Resource Team is to ensure a collaborative partnership between the employees & the management, while ensuring the organization works like a well-oiled machine.

However, #PostCovid these challenges took a U-Turn and a back seat. Now, How to Build a Great Place to Work is the big, bigger, biggest challenge every HR is facing. These times of constant change and the battles to stand out from the ever-growing competition have pushed organizations towards a fascinating junction of designing a great #WorkplaceEnvironment. So, while addressing this, I started with a question, ‘With the Changing Times, Should We Build a #GreatPlacetoWork OR Should We Become an #EmployerofChoice?’

The #Pandemic, accompanied by its uncertainties and unpredictability, is showing signs of fading. Nevertheless, aftershocks of Covid are impelling everyone’s minds to the #NewNormalcy. So, there is a dire need to come up with a new terminology for Great Place, #OfficeSpace, #OfficeHours, and #OfficeCommute. This old jargon would reminisce employees of the pre-covid days, and ultimately almost no one wants to even think of or talk about going #BacktoNormal working styles. It’s the #NextNormal that everyone is eyeing for. Yes, everything has got its own pros and cons but defining or debating about these will only complicate the challenges. Instead, the characteristic of a visionary Human Resource Team lies in deriving a workable and actionable solution.

If we look at most of the age-old #HRTheories, norms, and common policies, we can sense a huge gap. Those are buried way deep in this unpredictable post covid world. Today, to address the needs and aspirations of a post-pandemic workforce, the Dynamic, Demanding, and Situation-Based Policies are the prerequisites to become an Employer of Choice.

Make Your Policies with Pride that Put Employees on Stride

Rigid #WorkplacePolicies are another major factor for employee attrition. In today’s dynamic business space, change is the only constant and believe me, #ChangeManagement is never easy. To stay relevant in the fluctuating times, every organization must be adaptive, and flexible enough. It is a well-known fact that no workforce will accept the changes without proper support.

Incidentally, these changes may surface favoritism, new complications in working styles, cultural disruptions, unbalanced teams, and many more. At this point, HR needs to play a significant role to adopt these changes smoothly by listening more and evaluating the scenarios. Policies that address #WorkLifeBalance, #Demographic Constraints #WorkfromAnywhere, Health Aspects, Flexible Career Prospects will bring in the yearning transformation and are the traits of an Employer of Choice.

Make Everything Visible to Build a Culture of Transparency

In my experience, building a #TransparentCulture is a Two-Pointer Approach –

• Process Transparency: Being #Transparent with our changing #OrganizationalPolicies is a must. Rather than rushing through to implement the changes abruptly, it is advisable to put the new policies through trial with some grace period. It not only enables a smooth transition but also gives time to adapt to the changes over a period of time. But none of this is possible without an effective leader and that’s when the second step unfolds.
• Leadership Transparency:Resources appreciate only the strong and #TransparentManagers who stand by them and whom they can trust. Likewise, they also expect themselves to be trusted by their leaders. Employees are committed and responsive to leaders who are friendly, approachable, transparent, and who can empathize and encourage autonomy. Post covid, employees are looking for mentors but not just bosses. They expect the best leaders to be good #mentors, with personal connects, who they can confide in and who can support them to accomplish their #goals and strive alongside them to achieve their own ideal versions.

Synergize to Energize the Careers

In this #VirtualWorld, enabling collaboration is also one of the #HRChallenges. However, it can be accomplished by providing #CrossFunctional projects, #JobRotations, and shared responsibilities among employees. Rewarding Independence is another key factor to be considered. This will set you apart from the competition. Let every Business Unit have the independence to decide its scope. Approach any process enhancement with clear knowledge about it and clarity on the desired results. At times, putting too many activities on one business unit and proposing any enhancement without proper #SubjectMatterExpertise about it will only make the units more stressed out.

On the other hand, today’s generation is not willing to do the same work year after year. The most skilled employees detest stagnated job roles and pick up the boredom if they are under-utilized. This could be one of the reasons behind the gravitating #moonlighting trend post covid. Pressurizing one process will lead to #JobChanges while under-utilization will lead to moonlighting. So, balancing the utilization is of utmost important for gaining the team’s spirit. The Employer of Choice would look at providing them the dynamic roles, keep upgrading their #skillset, break the silos and ensure the optimum utilization of resources with cross-training and by building belongingness amongst the employees. It is the time for examining and understanding the importance of #Wellness, #Diversity, #Inclusion, #Equity, #Transparency, #Respect, and #NonDiscriminatoryPractices. This could be achieved by being open to new ideas from employees of all levels and all backgrounds, in a flat organization.

If we are thriving to become an Employer of Choice, being a good organization is not enough - we must be among the best and stand out. The workforce these days is growing more sophisticated while researching and evaluating potential employers. They research, they Google, they ask colleagues for feedback. And, yes, they really do look at the lists of #Top10 places to work. Few #MidSized firms might not come up in the top search list but still they are Great Places to Work. So how can they prove this fact and attract the talent? Here are my thoughts to it.

The good news is always infectious. Sharing the positivity in our lives is loved by all of us. Employees who love their work tend to become natural #BrandAmbassadors of their beloved organization. As a matter of fact, workers who trust their employers are more likely to advocate and advertise on their company’s behalf. They tell their nears and dears about how happy and content they are with their jobs. They post to #SocialMedia, they review their company on a website like #Glassdoor, #AmbitionBox & #GoogleReviews and they also encourage potential job seekers to apply. For mid-size firms, building such a workforce that publicly vocalizes their #JobSatisfaction is the best way to surpass the Employers of Choice status and such an organization is celebrated as the best in the industry. Undoubtedly, it leaves the #competitors behind in surprise, scratching their heads and wondering how they can catch up.

This was my two cents on transforming the workplace into an Employer of Choice. Please do comment your experiences, thoughts and ideas on how you have adapted/are adapting to the Next Normal of #PostPandemic workforce needs.

- Ganesh Somisetti, Head HR, XTGlobal

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