The practicalities of getting people back to work are emerging. While much of HR’s work is still wrestling with furlough, claims for hazard payments and performance issues, they’re now faced with the challenges of the next phase – getting people, as appropriate, back behind their desks.
The complexities involved are immense, and HR are leading the process of re-examining working practices in micro detail, from measuring workspaces to using lifts. And those are ‘just’ the operational issues.
Imagine the emotional issues – the trust that it’s going to require. You want to return to work, see your colleagues, get your mojo back. Yet – as this research by Mercer reveals – employers will need to get guarantees about people’s behaviour outside work in order to get them back into work. Yet another ethical tightrope that HR will have to walk.
It just takes a moment’s thought to realise that this is entirely sensible and fair – if you’re going to help keep your colleagues safe, you have to promise to maintain social distancing outside work.
It’s another illustration of how critical HR’s work is, yet it can go unnoticed.
We will help HR emerge from this with even greater credibility than before. Contact us to find out how.
