Covid-19 has had unprecedented effects on different facets of human resource management (HRM). Management of human resource has significantly been affected because of managers’ need to shift and adapt to new working environment paradigms. The effects of the pandemic, especially shelter-in-place specifications as well as closure of businesses and undertakings deemed non-essential, have resulted in challenges that have extended even to entities whose employees have always worked remotely. Carnevale, Joel & Hatak (2020), in their article “Employee adjustment and wellbeing in the era of COVID-19: Implications for human resource management” present an extensive analysis of the myriad challenges that Covid-19 has had on human resource management and especially handling of employees in a highly altered work environment. Carnevale, Joel & Hatak (2020) focus on challenges related to person-environment fit (P-E fit) congruence, work-family balance, and conflict, the pandemic effects on the human resource aspect of alternative family structures and the need for human resources to learn from entrepreneurs on the management of such unprecedented changes in the work environment.
One of the most significant challenges addressed is the burden that human resource management teams have had in shifting resources and employees into new working spaces, for example, virtual spaces (Vnouckova, 2020). The Covid-19 restrictions worldwide involve social distancing or the implementation of workplace policies and procedures that would ensure less human contact. There has been a disturbance of person-environment fit (P-E fit), a factor that influences the harmony between an employee’s values and desires with their work environment, hence their productivity. The authors extensively analyze the different P-E fit elements that have affected the communion among people in the workplace, satisfaction, and engagement among employees. Regarding these changes, the authors stress the need to resolve potential misfits and the need for human resource managers to adopt strategies to deal with such problems in a sustainable manner. An example given is the need for employers to look into aspects of human resource management that were not initially mainstream, for example, virtual selection and recruitment. Moreover, there is a need for concerned stakeholders to check the future impact of the current changes (Kaushik, Meenakshi & Guleria, 2020).
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As the Covid-19 health crisis continues to be witnessed, the inter-role conflict has also increased disproportionately. Work-family conflict have increasingly been witnessed because of incompatibility between family as well as work-related needs (Trougakos et al., 2020). The authors asserts that there has been an increase in inability of employees in different spaces to draw a line between work and private life, mainly because of school closure and increased parental responsibilities (Gigauri, 2020).There has been an influx of policies that aim to reconcile the challenges that arise from workplace demands and family needs. However, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to unfold multidimensional issues that were not initially foreseen. Besides the above, a widespread suspension of childcare programs and school closure has increased the complexity of work expectations, and family needs fulfillment. This dimension has become more volatile especially because of the need for more employees to work virtually. Remote work comes with the need for individuals to regulate their commitment to work and other aspects in the immediate environment some that might not be the best in the accomplishment of work-related tasks (Gigauri, 2020). Increased work autonomy could help employees create a balance and better manage work and family demands. This, however, might be significantly dependent on self-responsibility and how an individual values autonomy. The authors suggest an integrated way of approaching such challenges because they cut across the social sphere.
The challenges prevalent in contemporary family structures have been made significant by the Covid-19 pandemic. The impact on different work settings is evidenced by a shrink in business activities and organizational undertakings. The societal shift that has influenced an increase in single and childless employees has human resource implications. This has been heightened by the pandemic, which has necessitated a change in workplace arrangements. A significant challenge analyzed by the authors is the conflict that has arisen between work and family spheres. Such conflict has been exacerbated by the increased need for remote work. Family structures that constitute single and childless individuals also present a unique human resource management challenge. Childless employees, for example, might feel lonelier due to the new order of work where employees do not physically meet. Carnevale, Joel & Hatak (2020) suggest that, although many scholars have not focused on the challenges that come with such family structures, it is essential to note that such demographics might experience life-work conflict dynamics that are highly unique. The problems might be exacerbated by pandemic management issues that could increase loneliness and social separation (Vnouckova, 2020). The authors emphasize the need for relationship-oriented HR systems and consequent putting in place of a reservoir of resources that can be tapped and used to solve such problems in the future. In terms of the implication of such issues on future research, scholars need to heed advice from prior research undertakings to expand research into such areas that have not been previously accorded the right attention. They should focus on whether employees with particular characteristics, for example being childless, have more work responsibilities and expectations and whether such dynamics impact life-work conflict. Given such challenges, human resource management teams must think of inclusive problem-solving challenges (Vnouckova, 2020). The authors suggest that human resource managers should also focus on the new challenges faced by single and childless employees.
To solve the problems being witnessed currently, the authors suggest that human resource managers need to learn from entrepreneurs who often operate in highly uncertain environments, hence, have always encouraged autonomy in the workplace. Human resource personnel could learn from entrepreneurs because of the focus that they put on discovery as well as the exploitation of various resources in ambiguous environments. The most important question asked by the authors is whether employers can leverage significant characteristics possessed by entrepreneurs; therefore, learn how to navigate such hard times. Regardless, human resource managers find ways to restructure job designs. Employees must have entrepreneurial skills that not only help them in the management of workplace autonomy but also in having a mindset that helps them in approaching new problems openly and proactively. They also add that there is a need for human resource managers to learn how entrepreneurs are effectively operating regardless of limited social interaction (Trougakos et al., 2020). Carnevale, Joel & Hatak (2020) also suggest the need to find alternative means of social support. Examples include aspects such as customer feedback and taking advantage of domain-specific resources that might enhance employee wellbeing. There is also a need for managers to look at untapped resources in their working environment. Overlooked resources might be instrumental if made to suit the current employee needs.
In conclusion, Carnevale, Joel & Hatak (2020) focus on challenges related to person-environment fit (P-E fit) congruence, work-family balance, and conflict, the pandemic effects on the human resource aspect of alternative family structures and the need for human resources to learn from entrepreneurs on the management of such unprecedented changes in the work environment. The authors conclude that although it is not certain, the implications of Covid-19 pandemic on human resources are unlikely to be short-lived. Additionally, current health implications are dynamic and continue to unfold as the pandemic affects different facets of social life. The authors insist on the need to make assumptions regarding the grand challenge being faced in different human resources settings. It calls for attention not only from the human resource point of view but also from researchers and practitioners alike. They add that the current issues are a new reality that human resource managers should be prepared to deal with in the future .
References
Carnevale, J. B., & Hatak, I. (2020). Employee adjustment and well-being in the era of COVID-19: Implications for human resource management. Journal of Business Research .
Gigauri, I. (2020). Influence of Covid-19 Crisis on Human Resource Management and Companiesâ Response: The Expert Study. International Journal of Management Science and Business Administration , 6 (6), 15-24.
Kaushik, M., & Guleria, N. (2020). The impact of pandemic COVID-19 in workplace. European Journal of Business and Management , 12 (15), 1-10.
Trougakos, J. P., Chawla, N., & McCarthy, J. M. (2020). Working in a pandemic: Exploring the impact of COVID-19 health anxiety on work, family, and health outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology , 105 (11), 1234.
Vnoučková, L. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 on human resource management. Revista Latinoamericana de Investigación Social , 3 (1), 18-21.
