NEW HUMAN RESOURCE DYNAMICS

The COVID19 Pandemic has left many aspects of business and day to day life in devastation and change. Some change has been highly positive while the other has been negative. Part of this change has been in the Human Resources Departments that has given birth to new dynamics. AmCham Uganda and Ernst & Young led a discussion on these developments and are summarised below;

• According to Sandra N. Batte, the Associate Director Markets and Development at Ernst & Young, it is important that companies approach employee issues with caution. There is need to discuss how best businesses can thrive in the new dimension whilst ensuring a certain level of continuity and growth. Companies need to prioritize the mental and physical wellbeing of their employees for them to fully deliver. There are many questions and confusion at the moment. Employers should take the initiative to address this anxiety. With this addressed, the way forward is clearer and businesses can focus on sustainability.
• Every company survives on the productivity of its employees. It is important that new performance targets are set to meet current demands. Whereas some employees are working from home, others will have to work from office. Organizations need to facilitate the employees to enable them to perform in line with these targets.
• Employers should encourage their staff to work from home, this saves a lot of time which is spent in the traffic jam issued more productively. Alternatively, employers should consider reducing working hours to ensure that their staff beat the curfew deadlines.
• It is not the first time businesses have had to downsize. The question is how the situation is handled. In Government, an employee’s salary cannot be reduced as long as it is drawn from the consolidated fund. Employees need to be prepared for any eventualities such as layoffs. Employers should avoid being on the wrong side of the law by legally managing the situation.
• Employees that still have their jobs need to take them more seriously. Many people are losing jobs and many others are going to lose them. They need to manage their expectations and also observe the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and other measures instituted for the sake of their safety.
• Government is always issuing COVID-19 health guidelines to demystify some of the myths and fears. Many companies have employees that must be physically present and these have to just make the workplace safe enough.
• The highlight of the discussion Employers and Employees need to discuss and mutually agree for the sake of the Company’s growth. With mutual agreements, productivity and goodwill are assured. The challenges caused by COVID-19 are not entirely evil. There has never been a better time to embrace the e-World.