HR in 2020

In January of this year, the trends emerging in HR & People Strategy were AI Tools for HR, Retaliation in the Workplace as a result of the #MeToo movement and Data Transparency. In the midst of COVID-19, however, HR Professionals and Business Leaders had to quickly shift gears for what was critical in the moment. Below are three areas of focus for HR in 2020:

New Legislation

A significant number of laws were passed regarding employee issues that needed to be studied, understood, and implemented in a short period of time. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), CARES Act, EPSL and EFML became available in April of 2020 and require continual monitoring.

Reopening the Workplace

Returning employees to the workplace during and after the COVID-19 pandemic required significant contingency planning. Organizations had to quickly implement new tactics to keep their workforce safe & healthy, engaged and focused on business strategy.

Remote Workforce Pivot

For those employers who made the decision to have some or all of their employees work remotely, understanding the impact to their organization was imperative. Identifying critical skills and competencies needed to ensure employees’ success in a remote work environment, implementing flexible work options and schedules, and keeping the employee experience positive for a remote workforce, were all key challenges for organizations. Managers will also need assistance to adapt management styles to fit remote team needs, recruit for open positions, potentially in new locations, and meet applicants’ expectations for remote work options.

Keeping your organization engaged and focused is now taking a bigger toll on your Leadership team than ever before. For assistance with your people priorities, reach out to our team today.