Workplaces are now assessing how to reopen safely. While some might have been open with a fewer number of employees, most offices have been closed. Return-to-work options are dominating leadership team discussions as many identify the safety provisions that need to be incorporated. A range of service providers has now identified these provisions and released productsOpens a new window for organizations.
PaylocityOpens a new window , a cloud-based HR and payroll software solutions provider, has also introduced new product features that primarily focus on recruiting, rehiring, and engaging employees in the new no-contact workplace. These features are to keep employees safe while ensuring that business continuity is not affected.
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Some key features that Paylocity has added are mobile attestation by employees, virtual rehiring events, recruiting and onboarding online, training on company policies, engagement surveys for new hires, and specific toolkits to keep employees engaged and connected. Some features have been designed to sustain organizational culture and maintain motivation levels. Some courses on their Learning Management
System, have been created specifically for managers so that they can manage teams as well as remain motivated. Many of these features are relevant and applicable in the current context of a virtual workforce.
However, this also brings to light two essential aspects that need more attention and effort from organizations – the rehiring of employees and training managers for this shift.
Rehiring Employees
In a world where most organizations are announcing layoffs, there will soon be a vast talent pool in markets around the globe. This talent pool will be looking for roles so that they can re-enter the workforce. A platform that provides information about how to rehire makes it easier for companies who are expanding their workforce.
Paylocity has introduced a toolkit that shares templates that can enable companies to rehire furloughedOpens a new window or laid-off employees. The process for onboardingOpens a new window those who are rehired might be different depending on whether they have worked with the same firm or a different one earlier, and hence, finding tips that can guide them toward the process are essential.
There are a few other platforms that are also working toward the same purpose of providing information that can encourage rehiring, such as iCIMS. As businesses begin to open slowly, there is a need for such sources of data so that the right talent is fitted to the right roles.
Training Managers to Manage Remotely
While organizations are focusing their energy and efforts toward employee engagementOpens a new window , and rightfully so, they must also identify how those who are managing teamsOpens a new window should be mentored and coached.
People managers have to be able to walk the final line between employee trust and productivity, as well as to meet business goals. Most managers have not been trained to manage remote workers without falling into the trap of micromanagement. Therefore, while organizations need to find proactive ways to sustain employee engagement, a large part of that engagement will be impacted by manager behavior.
Employee well-being is directly connected to how managers are also managing stress and addressing the situation with their teams. Learning and developmentOpens a new window programs need to cover specific courses like engaging a remote team, change management, tracking performanceOpens a new window without managing minutely, employee-manager trust, ensuring that virtual meetings remain productive, among other things. These areas need more awareness and work to keep engagement levels high on an overall basis. Most organizations will likely have a larger part of their workforce continuing to work remotely. Manager training then becomes a crucial element.
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When the pandemic set in, it triggered a chain of reactions across the business world and had severe repercussions for the economy as well as the workforce. This is not likely to slow down, and even when the crisis is behind us, the changes in terms of returning to work will be massive. Organizations will have to plan for that in advance and initiate steps in the right direction immediately by investing in platforms that meet these requirements.