This archive report was first published on 1 July 2020.
As the world grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, the workplace has undergone a significant transformation. The digitization of interaction between organizations and their stakeholders has become a necessity, with employees working remotely to curb the transmission of the coronavirus.
Human resource (HR) practitioners are at the forefront of this change, tasked with evaluating the agility of their business and offering insights on how to achieve this shift while prioritizing the interests of employees.
One of the most critical aspects of the HR function in this new dispensation is staff wellness, particularly in terms of general health and psychosocial support. The pandemic has had a severe and unprecedented impact on employees and their families, affecting their mental wellbeing. Organizations must support them by providing counseling and other support mechanisms.
The government's response to the pandemic, including issuing guidelines on home-based deployment, has been commendable. Organizations in the public service can take advantage of the resultant permanent physical and social changes to transform their operations.
Government offices, traditionally set up around creating teams through physical interaction, will need to review their seating plans to comply with the Health ministry's social distancing protocols. A plausible scenario is a program where employees alternate between working from home and the premises.
Remote working will result in cost savings in terms of accommodation and utilities costs, which can be deployed to critical development and technical activities key to reviving the economy. Agencies can also hire more workers to boost productivity at a lower cost, but enhanced communication channels with staff through frequent virtual meetings and townhall forums will be necessary.
The changes present an opportunity to enhance service delivery through digital platforms. Policies on recruitment, placement, and induction, performance management, and training and development should be reviewed to accommodate current needs.
It is commendable that the Public Service Commission has been advertising and filling positions by leveraging on technology, with online receipts of applications and virtual interviews becoming the new norm.
Home-based deployment also calls for enhanced performance management by employees and their supervisors. To cut on the hefty training and development budget, organizations should shift to e-courses to build the capacity of their workforce.
The ICT function, especially, can no longer be put on the back burner. It is a key business driver and requires increased budgetary allocations and enhanced capacity in terms of numbers and skills development.
As we look back at the Covid-19 pandemic, we will remember it as a disruptor that catalyzed a better way of living and propelled employers and employees to embrace remote working and digital interactions.
Ms. Faith Marete is the human resource and administration manager at the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK).
