Challenges for HR Professionals in the Post-COVID-19 Era

Parami International College
Master’s in Business Administration
Course Name: HRM 401 - Organizational Behavior Assignment
Submitted to; Submittedby;
DawEi Phyu Aung Ms. Wint Yee Khaing
Batch – 5
Date of Submitted
10 / 20 / 2022

Challenges for HR Professionals in the Post-COVID-19 Era
Introduction
Many of us are concerned about what will occur after this pandemic is over. Many have
already predicted a bleak future that will be marked by the worst financial crisis in a
century. But what effects will this have on HR? Any planning or strategy process has
always been built on trend analysis. We demand to recognize the internal and external
factors that will affect how our businesses develop in the future to combine HR plans
with strategic plans. based on online conversations with business executives and
managers, along with information derived from corporate media.
I'll begin my analysis by focusing on what, in my opinion, is the crisis' central issue: the
importance of health and safety. Future demand for HR experts in health and safety will
be high, and consultancy firms with a focus on health and safety will have much more
work to do than simply preparing the paperwork for potential inspections. Then,because
meritocracy and legality go hand in hand, I'll concentrate on them.
For essential and critical positions in the public sector, meritocracy systems will need to
be implemented, and candidates will demand legality to secure their future in the event of
a crisis. Thirdly, branding tools will need to be mastered by both organizations and
candidates. To maintain a competitive edge, businesses will need to use employer
branding strategies more frequently to entice the best and the brightest candidates.
Additionally, candidates will need to use imagological techniques to survive in a post-
pandemic candidate surplus that is extremely competitive.
HR Trends in Beyond
“We know better...” - Health and safety as a priority
To ensure the safety of their employees and the continuation of their operations in the
wake of the COVID crisis, organizations have begun to place a higher priority on health
than anything else.
Some of these health precautions will continue to be in place throughout this pandemic
and the years that follow. Face masks, gloves, uniforms, and other workplace safety
equipment will all be required in many organizations.
1

The health and safety specialist will take on a more prominent role in the HR
department after previously being an underappreciated HR position and a haven for
mediocrity. The significance of the health and safety specialist, particularly in hospitals
where s/he was supposed to work with the acquisition department to ensure the stock of
protective gear, has been highlighted by this crisis. We could all see that the problem
wasn't just one of supply; it also stemmed from a lack of forethought, organization, and
investment.
For instance, some medical professionals may have laughed during the safety
instructions at the beginning of the COVID crisis, believing that "it won't come to this" or
that "we know better..." Doctors reported that they began practicing putting on their gear
in front of a mirror at home after the first few cases of COVID infections among medical
staff. This was done to ensure that this "performance" became routine and that all
instructions were followed exactly. Health and safety regulations were suddenly taken
seriously and will continue to be so in the future.
Although small and medium-sized businesses will continue to use the services of health
and safety consultancy firms because they lack the funds to employ their specialists,
things will shift in favor of the professionalization of these services. Companies that
provide consulting services will need to set up real pieces of training and instructions,
with real tests, real evaluations, and real future actions to take. And we won't look at this
as a waste of our time anymore!
Meritocracy and legality as the new trend?
Organizations frequently engage in several illegal activities during times of crisis.
Some businesses favored working with people without contracts in 2008–2009. Other
businesses preferred to hire people for the minimum wage and make up the difference in
cash. The aim was the same: to reduce the financial burden on their organizations by
paying no taxes or fewer taxes to the state. Employees received the net wage they had
agreed upon, and businesses paid less in taxes.
However, this is a distinct kind of crisis that, paradoxically, will compel both
employers and employees to enter into legitimate employment contracts with real wages.
Workers without contracts of employment realized they couldn't take advantage of all the
financial aid initiatives implemented by the government during this crisis.