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How can the HR department support employees during the COVID 19 crisis?

The COVID-19 crisis has dealt a major blow to businesses around the globe with no clear end in sight. With months of lockdown, the global economy is in disarray and multiple businesses have already shut shop. 

The pandemic has forced entire offices to introduce remote working as the new normal. But organizations are finding it increasingly difficult to manage and track remote work, keeping a tab on productivity levels, maintaining attendance records, managing payroll, and keeping a cohesive working unit.

Also, there are questions like managing on-site employees or dealing with the situation once employees start working from the office. While there is a portion of employees who can manage working from home, there is also a section who have to attend office in order to get a few essential tasks done. With the coronavirus disease being of a communicable nature, stakes are even high. The management has to take extra precautions and ensure that employee safety standards are met.

This is an added headache that is keeping the HR staff on their toes. Working on-site during a pandemic is stressful not only for the employees but also for the leadership who are struggling to manage the mammoth task.

Along with managing these tasks, it is also becoming difficult to boost employee morale. Without physical proximity, activities like routine training exercises, interactive courses have reduced leaving a toll on the workers. The HR department along with ensuring that regular tasks are met also have to ensure that interaction activities are carried out meticulously. This can make the employees feel connected to their work and rejuvenate their mental health. Undertake activities remotely to boost a sense of togetherness among workers during difficult times.

While remote-working is here to stay, measures must be taken to ensure that work is carried out efficiently without putting an extra burden on workers. For some, it is adding stress to their lives, which has to be avoided at all costs. From managing work and home responsibilities together, juggling multiple calls and status reports, dealing with poor network issues, it is becoming a lot to manage for some employees. With this situation continuing for months now and set to become the accepted reality, companies must chalk out regulations that keep in mind all these conditions all the while ensuring total productivity. The HR department should come up with a clear communication policy that addresses all the pain points and grievances. Monitoring should be more routine with an aim to keep track of assigned tasks. 

Organizations must spell out the policies and hold transparent discussions with the employees to understand their problems. The management should also communicate expectations clearly so that there is no bad blood later. The HR department must design activities that allow the teams to meet virtually at regular intervals, hold discussions, and share progress. This promotes cohesiveness and reduces the feeling of alienation. The COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented that is testing both professional and personal relations around the world. We need to practice empathy more than ever and stand with our colleagues during this period.

For on-site employees, businesses must adopt all preventive measures to ensure their safety. From having regular and frequent sanitization drives to disinfecting spaces after every shift, it is imperative to make certain that employees stay safe and healthy when reporting to work. It is prudent to be extra cautious and follow all the rules and regulations as mandated by the Government. The Human Resources department should take cognizance of the entire matter and ensure that the safety protocols are in place.

In addition to maintaining safety procedures, employers can follow the following few steps to manage the crisis for on-site employees:

  1. Maintain regular communication with employees
  2. Form equitable policies for on-site and work-from-home employees
  3. Seek employee feedback
  4. Provide support solutions

During the unprecedented times, it is the responsibility of each member of the organization to maintain smooth business relations while following all safety measures. Though the onus at the end of the day falls on HR and management, each stakeholder can contribute significantly to ensure that their business remains unaffected. 


To track and maintain all work efficiently even when working remotely, organizations must consider how an HRMS can bring in digital transformation through automation. During the crisis period, an HRMS can help track attendance from any part of the world, manage payroll activities, maintain compliances, has employee self-service portal that employees can access to gather information, share company-wide updates, etc. It is a vital tool that can help organizations maintain productivity levels during these uncertain times.

About Paylite:

To track and maintain all work efficiently even when working remotely, organizations must consider how an HRMS can bring in digital transformation through automation. During the crisis period, an HRMS can help track attendance from any part of the world, manage payroll activities, maintain compliances, has employee self-service portal that employees can access to gather information, share company-wide updates, etc. It is a vital tool that can help organizations maintain productivity levels during these uncertain times.

To keep a business running smoothly without any hindrance during difficult times can be both exhausting and challenging. With Paylite HRMS, you can rest assured to complete your payroll processing on time and maintain all statutory requirements from any part of the world.

To Book a Demo, please visit: https://www.paylitehr.com/request-demo.html