COVID-19 Series: What are the HRM Trends after COVIND-19?

07 May 2020, Singapore: If have been almost 2.5 months since Malaysia "MCO" (Movement Control Order) take effect; 1 month for Singapore "CB" (Circuit Breaker); and 2 weeks for Singapore workforce "on-site" reduction. After COVID-19, what are the potential HRM trends? Below are just some of my observation: -

• Businesses to embrace "FWA" Flexi-Work Arrangement (e.g., Work From Home, Telecommuting, Stagger Work Hours, etc.) to reduce their operations cost (e.g., rental cost, space management, etc) or incorporating it as part of their Business Continuity Plan (BCP) - HR professional will need to acquire the knowledge of rolling out such policies and collaborate with their IT management team.

• More investment into IT infrastructure to facilitate remote access, external server hosting, secure line (e.g., VPN), collaboration, and communication with the objective of supporting their new business model, and BCP. HR Professional will need to be knowledgeable in IT, mobile and conferencing applications (e.g., ZOOM, WebEX, SKYPE, SLACK, etc.)

• There will be a shift in business selling and delivering model their "goods and services" to customers ... in Singapore, my observation - seeing trends of people buying items via online, and vending machines. I have employees asking me if the company panel clinics provide "telephone" consultation.

• There will be a push for workforce to improve their COMMUNICATION and active listening skills (i.e., writing, oral / verbal, presentation material). People will need to "advance" their reading skill (no lazy eyes or skip reading ... embracing speech reading which was once very popular in the 1980s and 1990s), customize writing or "messaging" (that suit your audience), your "teleconference" presentation need to engage your audience "virtually", and your presentation material must be self explanatory. 

• Business office space will be "optimized" ... higher adoption of "Hot-Desking" or shared workstation and "virtual" office application.

• Potential interview questionnaires by employer: Do you have a "home-office" that support you to work from home? Do you have any ergonomic illness to declare - it is for our company insurance policy?

• Potential interview questionnaires by candidates: Do your company provide "FWA" flexi-work arrangement? Do your company insurance policy cover WFH?

• Changes in the personal hygiene culture / practice - it will be common to see people wearing masks at places which has high human traffic and confine space.

The above are just my observation and has no linked to my work in the Aerospace Industry.

+++The End+++