Section 3. Staying Future Ready

Necessity is the mother of invention. The global COVID-19 pandemic has led organizations to be much more inventive in how they’re managing Human Resources. But we wonder if that reactivity—while necessary—is leading organizations to implement solutions for today’s challenges without an eye toward tomorrow’s.

While we can’t always know what tomorrow holds, there are multiple stakeholders within your organization who can provide insight. From the C-suite to your HR Professionals and key employees, there are many voices which can help guide your thinking.

What wasn’t working prior to COVID-19?

Keep it focused on processes; this isn’t a group therapy session. Anything that was confusing, cumbersome and draining prior to the pandemic will remain that way if you don’t listen and consider changes.

What processes broke down during COVID-19?

This period has represented a massive stress test for organizations. Ask your people where they’re getting “stuck” nowadays. It may be that a process, form, or piece of technology which worked previously—became a source of headaches in the remote work environment. Let’s not return to normal without addressing it.

Do our HR processes align with our strategic plan?

Break out the crystal ball or whiteboard and consider where you’d like the organization to go from here. Maybe you’ve created a new business model over the past few months. Perhaps your growth plans involve a more dispersed workforce or expanded geographical presence. In these scenarios, do your HR processes and technology still work?

As always, we stress simplicity. There’s no reason to change something that is working. And if you decide you need to improve your HR Tech, see Section 1 for some examples of how to add features to existing systems and integrate new ones in a streamlined fashion.